HULIGANI shocks Natus Vincere 2-1, advances to face Virtus.pro for final TI 2026 spot

HULIGANI just did what most of the Dota 2 world didn’t think was possible. The underdog squad knocked out Natus Vincere 2-1 in the TI 2026 Europe Closed Qualifier on June 27, eliminating one of the scene’s most iconic organizations and punching their own ticket to the decider match.

Now they face Virtus.pro for the last European spot at the main event in Shanghai. One more series stands between HULIGANI and the biggest stage in competitive Dota 2.

How HULIGANI pulled off the upset

NAVI arrived at this lower bracket match having already dispatched MOUZ with a clean 2-0 sweep earlier in the qualifier.

HULIGANI had other plans. The squad, featuring ssnovv1, Mirage, Vazya, sayuw, and RESPECT, clawed their way through the lower bracket after dropping their own earlier match to Power Rangers. Their lower bracket run included victories over 4ikibamboni and ENJOY before they reached the NAVI matchup.

The series against NAVI went the full distance. After splitting the first two games, HULIGANI closed it out in game three.

What this means for the TI 2026 European picture

The TI 2026 Europe Closed Qualifier exists for one purpose: to determine which European teams earn the right to compete at the main event in Shanghai.

NAVI’s elimination is the biggest story here. The organization carries decades of esports history across multiple titles, and their Dota 2 roster looked genuinely competitive after the MOUZ win. Being sent home by a team most casual viewers couldn’t name before this qualifier is, to put it mildly, not the outcome their fans were expecting.

For HULIGANI, the victory validates a roster built around veteran players who individually carry significant experience: ssnovv1, Mirage, Vazya, sayuw, and RESPECT.

The Virtus.pro decider looms large

Now comes the hardest part. Virtus.pro represents a significant step up in difficulty, and the stakes couldn’t be higher. The winner goes to Shanghai. The loser goes home.

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