Team Spirit Wins The International 2026: Yatoro and Collapse Become First Three-Time Champions in Dota 2 History
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23.08.2026 17:13
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2 min read
Team Spirit claimed the championship title at Dota 2’s premier tournament of the year, The International 2026, defeating TEAM VISION (PARIVISION) 3-2 in the grand final. Illya “Yatoro” Mulyarchuk and Magomed “Collapse” Khalilov became the first players in the game’s history to lift the Aegis of Champions three times.
The final series at the Oriental Sports Center arena in Shanghai went the full five games.
A Five-Game Thriller in the Grand Final
According to GosuGamers, the matchup proved to be one of the most intense in tournament history:
- Game 1: Team Spirit victory (42-17 in kills, Yatoro on Shadow Fiend finished 16/1/7);
- Game 2: a 64-minute comeback victory for TEAM VISION (48-46);
- Game 3: Team Spirit victory following a decisive teamfight at the 40-minute mark (26-24);
- Game 4: a dominant response from TEAM VISION (31-13);
- Game 5: a 64-minute battle where Yatoro’s Lifestealer secured the victory for Spirit at 34-31 after exhausting the opponent’s buybacks.
Lower Bracket Revenge and World Records
As reported by Insider Gaming, the championship was a redemption story: earlier in the tournament, VISION had defeated Spirit twice — in the group stage (2-0) and in the upper bracket semifinals (2-1).
Falling to the lower bracket, Spirit knocked out Team Liquid and BoomBoys before sweeping Team Yandex 2-0 in the lower bracket final. The tournament debutants from Yandex finished third overall, earning roughly $298,700.
The victory made Team Spirit the first organization in history to win The International three times (following triumphs in 2021 and 2023). Coach Yaroslav “Miposhka” Naidonov also secured his third championship (winning twice as a player-captain), Denis “Larl” Sigitov became a two-time champion, while not me and rue earned their first Aegis.
Prize Pool and Puppey’s Heartbreak
According to Liquipedia standings, Team Spirit took home $1,426,422 out of the total prize pool of $3.33 million.
For TEAM VISION captain Clement “Puppey” Ivanov, the result marked a record fourth defeat in The International grand finals (following 2012, 2013, and 2022) since his lone victory at the inaugural TI in 2011.
