NAVI lifted the EPL trophy, secured a share of $1,000,000 in Total Winnings, and entered the ESL Grand Slam VI race
Sunday, March 15, 2026, Stockholm, Sweden: The dust has finally settled on ESL Pro League (EPL) Season 23, with NAVI crowned champions after a victory against Aurora Gaming. After two weeks of relentless competition between 24 of the world’s best teams, NAVI showcased their dominance in a thrilling 3-1 Grand Final to lift the coveted ESL Pro League trophy, enter the ESL Grand Slam VI race, and claim the lion’s share of $1,000,000 in Total Winnings. The triumph also marks NAVI’s grand return as ESL Pro League champions, following their previous title in Season 20.
The Playoffs also brought a highly anticipated return of a live audience to ESL Pro League since 2019 at the Annexet Arena in Stockholm, Sweden. On March 13-15, 4,000 fans packed the arena to watch the world’s best teams compete live, while thousands tuned in online, reaching a peak viewership of 754,383*.
Stage 1
EPL Season 23 commenced on March 1, as 16 qualified teams competed online for eight spots in Stage 2. The early matches saw Legacy and FUT Esports storm through their brackets, advancing with 3-0 records. Monte, paiN Gaming, and Astralis followed closely behind with 2-1 scores, while HEROIC, G2 Esports, and 3DMAX secured the final spots from the lower bracket.
Stage 2
On March 7-10, the eight Stage 1 winners were joined by eight directly qualified teams. With the live Playoffs in Stockholm on the line, the competition was fierce from the beginning. Team Spirit and MOUZ swiftly swept through the stage with flawless 3-0 scores. Legacy, The MongolZ, and Aurora Gaming advanced with strong 2-1 records, while Astralis, Natus Vincere, and FUT Esports fought their way through the lower bracket to complete the playoff lineup.
Playoffs
On March 13-15, the Annexet Arena opened its doors to welcome fans from Sweden and beyond, eager to witness world-class Counter-Strike action live. As the final eight teams took the stage, the competition reached its peak with the ESL Pro League trophy within their sights.
In the quarterfinals, first, NAVI defeated The MongolZ in a quick 2-0 match. The second quarterfinal saw Aurora Gaming beat Legacy in an intense 3-0 matchup, and lastly, FUT Esports and Astralis won over MOUZ and Team Spirit, respectively, to complete the semifinals lineup.
With the Grand Final at stake, the Saturday semifinals pushed the remaining teams to their limits. Despite an impressive run from Stage 1 all the way to the semifinals by underdogs FUT Esports, Natus Vincere secured their spot in the final after a hard-fought 2-1 victory. Aurora Gaming continued their streak by defeating Astralis in another closely contested 2-1 series.
Before the Grand Final, Astralis took the win against FUT Esports in the third-place decider match.
Grand Final
ESL Pro League Season 23 culminated on Sunday, March 15, with a showdown between Natus Vincere and Aurora Gaming. NAVI was looking for their first EPL title since Season 20 in 2024, while the Aurora Gaming roster (formerly of Eternal Fire) sought redemption after losing to NAVI in the same EPL Season 20 Grand Final.
With both teams eager to settle the score on the big stage, the best-of-five matchup delivered intense rounds, keeping fans on the edge of their seats. The series opened with NAVI taking the lead on Mirage, before Aurora Gaming responded by winning Anubis. NAVI then regained control on Nuke and closed the series on Dust2, securing a 3-1 victory to become the ESL Pro League Season 23 champions. The team lifted the EPL trophy in front of a roaring crowd, secured a share of $1,000,000 in Total Winnings, and entered the ESL Grand Slam VI race. Additionally, NAVI’s young prodigy, Drin “makazze” Shaqiri, earned the DHL MVP award for his outstanding performance through the tournament.
The ESL Pro Tour for Counter-Strike continues with Intel® Extreme Masters Rio 2026 on April 13-19, where the world’s 16 top squads will battle it out for a coveted IEM trophy. For more information about the ESL FACEIT Group’s Counter-Strike esports ecosystem go to the official website or follow ESL Counter-Strike on X, Instagram, and Facebook.
*according to escharts.com
The ESL Pro League Season 23 photos are available HERE
