ESL Pro League S23 Recap: NAVI Claim Their First Trophy of 2026

From March 1 to March 15, one of the biggest tournaments of the spring Counter-Strike season took place — ESL Pro League Season 23. A total of 24 teams from different regions of the world competed for the championship title and a significant prize pool. The winner of the tournament was Natus Vincere, who managed to overcome a difficult playoff bracket and claim victory in the grand final. For their triumph, NAVI received $250,000 in prize money.

This title became the team’s first trophy of 2026, allowing them to reassert themselves after a challenging period and prove that NAVI are still capable of competing at the highest level. In addition, this victory marked their first step toward the Intel Grand Slam VI race. In this article, we take a look at how ESL Pro League Season 23 unfolded, which teams surprised the most, and how NAVI managed to secure the championship title.

ESL Pro League S23 Stage 1 Results

The first stage of ESL Pro League S23 traditionally took place online. A total of 16 teams competed in a Swiss-format group stage, battling for a place in Stage 2.

The online format often gives a certain advantage to teams with less experience performing on the big stages of tier-1 tournaments. Players can compete from their homes or bootcamps, which creates a more comfortable and relaxed environment. However, even under these conditions, not every team managed to deliver consistent results.

After five days of matches, the first teams to advance to Stage 2 with a perfect 3–0 record were FUT Esports and Legacy, both confidently making it through the stage undefeated. At the same time, SemperFi and NRG became the first teams to exit the tournament with a 0–3 record, failing to secure a single win.

Monte, Astralis, and paiN also advanced after finishing with a 3–1 record, while HEROIC, G2, and 3DMAX secured their spots in decisive matches with 3–2 records.

Among the teams that failed to make it past the first stage were Gaimin Gladiators, Passion UA, M80, PARIVISION, NiP, and Liquid. The elimination of PARIVISION was particularly surprising, considering they had recently won BLAST Bounty Winter 2026 and reached the final of PGL Cluj-Napoca 2026, but were unable to replicate their previous success here. Meanwhile, Passion UA, Liquid, and NiP lost to teams that were considered weaker on paper, which may have been influenced by opponents performing more confidently in the online environment or by potential underestimation.

ESL Pro League S23 Stage 2 Results

The second stage of ESL Pro League S23 featured 16 teams: eight squads that advanced from Stage 1 and eight invited higher-tier teams. At this point, the level of competition increased significantly, as strong contenders such as Natus Vincere, Team Spirit, MOUZ, The MongolZ, FURIA, and FaZe Clan joined the event.

The most convincing performances came from MOUZ and Team Spirit, both of whom advanced with a flawless 3–0 record, looking like some of the main favorites for the title.

For some teams, however, Stage 2 ended very quickly. Monte and HEROIC were eliminated with 0–3 records, unable to find their footing against stronger opposition.

The MongolZ, Legacy, and Aurora also secured playoff spots with 3–1 records, while NAVI, FUT, and Astralis fought through intense series to qualify with 3–2 records.

The stage also brought several disappointments. FaZe Clan and B8 finished their runs with 1–3 records, failing to mount a consistent challenge. Even more dramatic was the elimination of FURIA, who lost to paiN and then fell in the decisive playoff qualification match, ending their run with a 2–3 record.

ESL Pro League S23 – Playoffs: The Road to the Trophy

The playoff stage of ESL Pro League S23 was played in LAN format in Stockholm at the Annexet Arena. The quarterfinals produced several surprising results.

Astralis managed to upset Team Spirit with a confident 2–0 victory, while FUT Esports defeated MOUZ in a tense 2–1 series. At the same time, Natus Vincere convincingly beat The MongolZ 2–0 to advance to the semifinals.

The semifinals featured Astralis vs Aurora and NAVI vs FUT. Both series went the full distance, lasting all three maps. In the end, Aurora and NAVI secured their places in the grand final.

In the grand final of ESL Pro League S23, NAVI delivered a strong performance and defeated Aurora 3–1, winning their first trophy of 2026. With this victory, the team also officially began their campaign for the Intel Grand Slam and its $1,000,000 prize.

The MVP of the tournament was Drin “ makazze ” Shaqiri, who earned the first MVP award of his career. Throughout ESL Pro League S23, he showed excellent form and finished the event with an impressive 1.38 rating.

The Biggest Surprises and Disappointments of ESL Pro League S23

Among the biggest surprises of the tournament were the performances of FUT Esports and Astralis. FUT managed to navigate the difficult online stages and reach the playoffs, eventually finishing 4th overall. Considering the level of competition at the event, this was a very solid result for the team.

Astralis also delivered a strong performance, successfully advancing through the earlier stages and finishing 3rd, showing a much stronger level of play than many had expected.

Of course, special attention must be given to Natus Vincere, who managed to win the tournament and lift the championship trophy. The team demonstrated consistent performance in the decisive matches, and the key question now is whether they will be able to maintain this form in upcoming major events.

On the other hand, FaZe Clan and FURIA were among the biggest disappointments of the tournament, as both teams were eliminated during Stage 2. Expectations for both squads were much higher before the event, but they ultimately failed to reach the playoffs.

What’s Next After ESL Pro League S23?

Following the conclusion of ESL Pro League S23, the season continues with the next major tournament — BLAST Open Rotterdam 2026, scheduled to take place from March 18 to March 29.

The event will once again feature fierce competition, with strong teams such as Team Vitality and Team Falcons set to participate.

For Natus Vincere, this tournament will be an important test. After winning ESL Pro League S23, the team will need to prove that their success was not a one-time achievement. However, doing so will not be easy given the level of competition and the packed schedule of major Counter-Strike tournaments.