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The International 2026: Elimination Round Results and Playoff Schedule
The International 2026 Group Stage is over, and only eight Dota 2 teams remain in the race for the Aegis of Champions. Let's take a look at which teams fell along the way, how the Elimination Round unfolded, and the schedule for the first round of the Playoffs.
TEAM VISION, Nigma Galaxy, and Team Liquid secured direct Playoff seeds and earned the right to choose their opponents, while the remaining teams battled through the Elimination Round to claim the last spots in the Upper Bracket.
The International 2026: Elimination Round
The first series of the Elimination Round sent another Chinese team home as Vici Gaming fell 0-2 to Team Falcons. BoomBoys also secured a convincing 2-0 victory over Aurora Gaming, ending Mira's dream of becoming a three-time TI champion.
In the third series of the day, Team Spirit ended China's hopes of lifting the Aegis of Champions after defeating Team Resilience 2-1. Iron Wing also dealt the first blow to the Americas by eliminating GamerLegion with a 2-0 victory.
Finally, LGD Gaming started their series against Team Yandex with an optimistic 1-0 lead, but Yandex turned the series around and buried the Americas' TI dream with a 2-1 comeback victory.
The International 2026: Playoff Schedule
The International 2026 Playoffs will feature a double-elimination bracket, and, as pointed out by Wykrhm Reddy, there is now a 75% chance we'll see a repeat TI champion, with several two- and three-time hopefuls still in contention.
Let's take a look at the first round of the Playoffs in the table below.:
| The International 2026 — Playoff Schedule | ||||
| Date | Time | Team 1 | vs. | Team 2 |
| August 20 | 02:00 | Iron Wing | vs. | Team Spirit |
| 05:00 | TEAM VISION | BoomBoys | ||
| 08:00 | Team Liquid | Team Yandex | ||
| 11:00 | Nigma Galaxy | Team Falcons | ||
Crucial Matchups
At this stage of the tournament, there are no bad matchups, only favorites depending on which teams you support. Here are the two series that stand out the most on the opening day of the Playoffs.
TEAM VISION vs. BoomBoys
The Eastern European classic returns, with TEAM VISION entering as the favorites against BoomBoys in a battle for a place in the Upper Bracket Semifinals of The International 2026.
The BoomBoys are the dark horse in this matchup, especially after losing the Esports World Cup 2026 Grand Final to this very same TEAM VISION just a month ago. Will they finally manage to take down the favorites?
Nigma Galaxy vs. Team Falcons
Nigma Galaxy has completed one of the most impressive resurgences of a fallen giant, and their fans are hoping SumaiL and his teammates can become the next two-time TI champions before what could be a major wave of retirements.
Meanwhile, Team Falcons, the defending Aegis champions, have a chance to take the easier path through the Upper Bracket as they pursue back-to-back TI titles. They will spare no effort in stopping Nigma Galaxy on its path toward this historic achievement.
Closing Thoughts
We're finally about to witness The International 2026 Playoffs, where every series carries enormous stakes and leaves little room for mistakes on the road to the Grand Final.
The double-elimination bracket offers teams a second chance, but the pressure remains immense. You either adapt quickly or go home.
If you want to stay up to date with The International 2026 results, meta recaps, and the latest roster changes, remember to check the news section on the Strafe website!
Featured Image Source: Twitter (@wykrhm)
READ MORE: The International 2026 Day 4 Recap: Three Regions Are Knocked Out!
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