We didn’t expect this, but ESL Pro League Season 23 turned out to be a milestone CS2 esports event. A new power has risen on the scene. Big favorites played so badly that their level dropped to the point where roster changes became inevitable. We witnessed what a big tournament looks like if Vitality take a break.
It’s been a while since we saw NAVI in the grand final at a really big Counter-Strike 2 (CS2) tournament. Aurora players have not won trophies of such a level.
At the same time, the absence of Team Vitality among the EPL S23 participants somewhat shadows the grand final achievement of NAVI and Aurora — and the entire event, too.
Aurora Gaming vs NAVI: The EPL S23 grand final
This match determines the ESL Pro League Season 23 winners. For NAVI and Aurora, this victory is extremely important: to establish their current competitive power and boost confidence for the upcoming CS2 tournaments. Also, it’s one point in the ESL Grand Slam VI run — a hope for the $1,000,000 prize.
Previously this season, NAVI defeated Aurora during the Swiss stage of PGL Cluj-Napoca 2026.
Aurora 1:3 NAVI — NAVI win the grand final and the EPL Season 23!
| Map bans | Map 1 | Map 2 | Map 3 | Map 4 | Map 5 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Overpass, NAVI Ancient, AUR | Mirage, NAVI pick | Anubis, AUR pick | Nuke, NAVI pick | Dust II, AUR pick | Inferno, decider |
| AUR 7:13 NAVI | AUR 13:11 NAVI | AUR 8:13 NAVI | AUR 9:13 NAVI | – |
Aurora had some pretty good moments throughout the match. An amazing first half on Anubis brought them a win on that map. They showed good signs of competitive spirit on Dust II in an attempt to recover. Still, some players on the roster were just missing on the server. İsmailсan “XANTARES” Dörtkardeş so often just walked into his death to leave teammates at a disadvantage.
NAVI have built their win with a few series of successful rounds, like the first half on Mirage and the T side on Nuke. Ihor ‘w0nderful’ Zhdanov was especially great with his AWP, finishing the match with 82-46 K-D and 83.8 ADR.
It’s the first tournament win for NAVI in 2026, and their runs in the following events should prove stability of this competitive form.
“[I’m feeling] amazing. I’m really proud. It was important for us to get a win. For a long time, we were without a trophy. I’m really proud we finally have a positive sign on our path.”
Andrii “B1ad3” Horodenskyi, NAVI’s coach
Aurora Gaming: A solid progression
On their way to the ESL Pro League Season 23 grand final, Aurora Gaming had some pretty close matches. They lost to The MongolZ in the online stage 2. Then, Aurora defeated G2 Esports.
Two times, Aurora battled Legacy Esports, and both these matches finished with a 2:1. It feels like a nice progression after not winning even one match in the playoffs at PGL Cluj Napoca and IEM Kraków 2026.
Aurora Gaming defeated Astralis to reach the EPL Season 23 grand final.
NAVI: Rising to the top again
After a turbulent start to the season, NAVI are finally looking strong. The level of their opponents is the only concern in the EPL Season 23 success. NAVI did not face big teams in the online stage, and they even lost to G2 and Legacy.
In the Playoffs, NAVI won over The MongolZ, but this team is in an even shakier form.
FUT Esports: Promoted
The current roster of FUT Esports comes from NAVI Junior, and the results these players reach are simply amazing. They had good wins in the previous tournaments of the CS2 esports season 2026. Now, FUT Esports reached the semifinal and played in the third-place final.
Arguably, the biggest achievement of FUT at ESL Pro League Season 23 is taking down MOUZ, which were considered the tournament favorites. FUT Esports won with a 2:1 in the quarterfinal. They could not repeat this against NAVI.
MOUZ, Spirit, and FURIA to crash unexpectedly
These big favorites disappointed. FURIA could not even make it through the online stage at ESL Pro League Season 23. They lost opening matches to B8 and 3DMAX, reached the final round, but then Astralis eliminated FURIA.
MOUZ lost to FUT Esports, and the narrative that they are stopped only by such powerhouses as Vitality is no longer relevant.
Team Spirit had no losses in the online stage, and analysts named them the favorites in the quarterfinal against Astralis. It did not happen, as Spirit lost two maps with uncomfortable gaps of 6:13 and 7:13.
G2 to pull off a roster change
The tournament start was difficult for G2, as they barely made it from the online stage 1 at ESL Pro League Season 23. Then, G2 Esports were eliminated from stage 2, losing to Team Spirit, Aurora, and FUT Esports.
Then, they opted for a roster change. They sent Mario “malbsMd” Samayoa to Team Liquid and took Guy “NertZ” Iluz as a replacement.
Astralis and Legacy fans should be satisfied
Legacy has developed a weird reputation in the community, as even some casters proclaimed their stagnation phase. That should change now, as Legacy had a good tournament, including wins over PARAVISION, G2, and NAVI in the online stages.
It seems like picking up two new players was a good decision for Astralis. The current roster won over FaZe and FURIA in the online stage 2. Astralis eliminated Team Spirit in the playoffs of ESL Pro League Season 23.
The next big CS2 esports tournament starts on March 18, and it features all the top teams among the participants. Team Vitality is back to action at BLAST Open Spring 2026!
ESL Pro League Season 23 is planned for Oct. 03–11. This tournament takes place in the iconic Spodek Arena in Katowice, Poland.