Key takeaways
- Team Spirit defeated TEAM VISION 3–2 in the best-of-five grand final of The International 2026.
- Team Spirit became the first Dota 2 organization to win The International three times, adding the 2026 title to victories in 2021 and 2023.
- Yatoro and Collapse became the first players to win three editions of The International.
- Spirit reached the title through the lower bracket after losing to TEAM VISION earlier in the playoffs.
Team Spirit are the champions of The International 2026—and the first organization in Dota 2 history to win the Aegis of Champions three times.
The Eastern European team defeated TEAM VISION 3–2 in a five-game grand final at Shanghai’s Oriental Sports Center on August 23. The result completed a lower-bracket comeback, settled the third meeting between the two teams at the tournament and added the 2026 title to Spirit’s victories in 2021 and 2023.
For viewers in the Philippines, the championship series began at 2:15 PM PHT. The final result and permanent event record are available in the TEAM VISION vs Team Spirit match center, while the The International 2026 tournament page preserves the wider schedule, standings and results.
Team Spirit beat TEAM VISION 3–2 in a five-game final
The grand final required all five games. Spirit took the opener, but TEAM VISION recovered in Game 2 to level the series. Spirit moved back in front after Game 3, only for VISION to answer again and force a deciding fifth game.
Game 5 lasted 64 minutes. Neither side was able to turn an advantage into an immediate finish, but Spirit eventually won the late exchanges needed to close the map and the championship. The 3–2 series score is confirmed by the current tournament event record supplied through the EsportsNews.pro data Worker and by multiple post-event reports.
The final was also the decisive chapter in a tournament-long rivalry. TEAM VISION had beaten Spirit twice before the championship series: first with a 2–0 win in the group stage and then 2–1 in the upper-bracket semifinals. Spirit’s victory in the rematch carried the largest possible prize—the Aegis and a place in Dota 2 history.
A lower-bracket run completed the title path
Spirit did not take a direct route to the trophy. They finished the Swiss portion of the group stage with a 3–2 series record, then defeated Team Resilience 2–1 in the elimination round to reach the eight-team playoffs.
Their playoff campaign opened with a 2–0 win over Iron Wing. TEAM VISION then sent Spirit into the lower bracket with a 2–1 victory, leaving the two-time champions without another second chance.
Spirit responded with three consecutive 2–0 elimination wins:
- Team Liquid in the lower-bracket quarterfinals
- BoomBoys in the lower-bracket semifinals
- Team Yandex in the lower-bracket final
That run earned one final meeting with TEAM VISION. By winning the grand final, Spirit reversed the result that had put them in the lower bracket and completed four straight series victories with elimination on the line.
Team Spirit become Dota 2’s first three-time TI organization
Before 2026, Team Spirit shared the organizational record of two International championships with OG and Team Liquid. Spirit had first won the event in 2021 by defeating PSG.LGD 3–2, then returned to the top in 2023 with a 3–0 victory over Gaimin Gladiators.
The third title moves Team Spirit ahead on their own:
| Championship | Grand-final opponent | Series score |
|---|---|---|
| The International 2021 | PSG.LGD | 3–2 |
| The International 2023 | Gaimin Gladiators | 3–0 |
| The International 2026 | TEAM VISION | 3–2 |
This distinction belongs to the organization. The five-player lineup changed between title runs, but Team Spirit’s ability to rebuild around a championship core has now produced three Aegises across five years.
Yatoro and Collapse make individual TI history
Illya “Yatoro” Mulyarchuk and Magomed “Collapse” Khalilov were part of all three Team Spirit championship lineups. The 2026 victory therefore made them the first players to win The International three times.
Denis “Larl” Sigitov earned his second Aegis after also winning with Spirit in 2023. Alexey “not me” Kosmynin and Aleksandr “rue” Filin became TI champions for the first time, with not me winning the tournament on his TI debut.
Yaroslav “Miposhka” Naidenov completed a different three-title journey. He won Spirit’s 2021 and 2023 championships as a player and captain, then returned for the 2026 campaign as coach. His move behind the team added continuity to a roster that had changed during the season without pretending it was the same five-player unit that won before.
Team Spirit’s winning 2026 lineup was:
- Yatoro
- Larl
- Collapse
- not me
- rue
- Coach: Miposhka
Why the third Aegis matters
The International is Dota 2’s annual world championship and the event around which the game’s competitive history is most often measured. Winning it once places a team in a short list. Winning it three times creates a new benchmark.
Spirit’s 2026 campaign also stands out because the team had to survive both the elimination round and the lower bracket. TEAM VISION entered the final after an unbeaten group stage and had already defeated Spirit twice at the event. The championship was therefore not simply another title added to a successful season; it was a reversal against the opponent that had repeatedly blocked Spirit’s path.
For Yatoro and Collapse, the result separates individual longevity from a single dominant roster. Their three championships came with different teammates and across different competitive eras. For Larl, it confirms a second title after joining the 2023-winning lineup. For not me and rue, it marks a first Aegis at the end of Spirit’s most demanding route to a championship yet.
Follow The International 2026 results in Philippine Time
The tournament may be complete, but its pages remain available as permanent records. Readers can review the full The International 2026 coverage, open the grand-final match page or browse the latest Dota 2 results in Philippine Time.
All match times on EsportsNews.pro are displayed in PHT (UTC+8). Series scores come from the site’s published esports data feed, while historical and roster claims in this report were checked against the sources listed below.
Sources and verification
Frequently asked questions
Who won The International 2026?
Team Spirit won The International 2026 after defeating TEAM VISION 3–2 in the best-of-five grand final in Shanghai on August 23, 2026.
How many times have Team Spirit won The International?
Team Spirit have won The International three times—in 2021, 2023 and 2026—making the organization the first three-time TI champion.
Who are the first three-time TI-winning players?
Team Spirit carry Yatoro and offlaner Collapse became the first players to win three editions of The International after being part of the organization's 2021, 2023 and 2026 championship lineups.
Who played for Team Spirit at The International 2026?
Team Spirit's championship lineup was Yatoro, Larl, Collapse, not me and rue, with Miposhka serving as coach.
Verified data and editorial standards
Schedules and scores use the site’s published API data. Guides are written and reviewed by the EsportsNews.pro editorial team, while unverified details are omitted.
