NAVI wins opening series of BLAST Slam IX Closed Qualifiers with clean 2-0 sweep

Natus Vincere opened their BLAST Slam IX Europe Closed Qualifier run on September 12 with a convincing 2-0 victory over Zero Tenacity. The best-of-three series never required a third map.

The win places NAVI firmly on track toward qualifying for the BLAST Slam IX main event, an online tournament scheduled for November 20-29 featuring 16 teams and a reported prize pool of $750K. Some estimates peg the total payout closer to $1 million when team earnings are factored in.

What happened in the series

Zero Tenacity, a Serbian squad, had earned their spot in the closed qualifier by grinding through the open bracket. NAVI entered the closed qualifier as a direct invite.

The Europe Closed Qualifier runs September 12-13, compressing the entire bracket into a tight two-day window.

NAVI’s 2026 trajectory

This qualifier result is a continuation of what’s been a strong year for NAVI in competitive Dota 2. The organization secured a win at EPL Masters II earlier in 2026, reinforcing their position as one of the more consistent contenders on the circuit.

NAVI has also previously qualified for other iterations of the BLAST Slam series, including Slam VI.

The BLAST Slam series itself has evolved for 2026. The ninth edition features an updated structure with an expanded online group stage.

The road to the main event

The Europe Closed Qualifier is one of several regional pathways feeding into the 16-team main event in November. With the qualifier wrapping up on September 13, qualified teams will have roughly two months to prepare for the main bracket.

A $750K prize pool, potentially reaching $1 million with supplementary team earnings, makes BLAST Slam IX one of the more lucrative events outside of The International and major DPC tournaments.

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