Ukrainian team defeat Aurora in the grand final
Ukrainian esports organization Natus Vincere, better known as NAVI, won ESL Pro League Season 23, one of the most respected Counter Strike 2 tournaments on the calendar. In the grand final, the team defeated Aurora Gaming by a 3:1 map score and secured their first title of 2026.
The final was played across four maps. NAVI opened the series strongly with a 13:7 win on Mirage. Aurora responded on Anubis, where NAVI narrowly lost 11:13, but that setback did not change the momentum for long. NAVI regained control on Nuke with a 13:8 victory and then closed the series on Dust II by winning 13:9.
That result gave the Ukrainian side a convincing championship win and ended a long wait for a top level trophy.
A difficult road to the trophy
NAVI’s path to the title was far from easy. The team entered the tournament from the second stage and reached the playoffs with a 3:2 record, coming very close to elimination along the way.
Despite those early struggles, NAVI improved at the most important moment of the event. Their performances became more stable in the decisive matches, and by the time they reached the final, the team looked far more confident and composed.
This title is especially important because it is NAVI’s first major tournament win since IEM Rio 2024. For a team with high expectations, lifting a Tier 1 trophy again marks an important step forward.
One of the biggest events in Counter Strike
ESL Pro League is considered one of the key competitions on the professional Counter Strike scene. Season 23 brought together many of the strongest teams in the world and lasted for more than two weeks.
Dozens of lineups from different regions competed for the title and a significant prize pool, which made the tournament one of the biggest tests of the early 2026 season.
NAVI’s victory confirms that the team remains among the elite in Counter Strike 2 and gives them valuable momentum for the events still to come this year.
