Team Yandex emerged as Dota 2’s newest powerhouse after a 3–1 Grand Finals win over Team Spirit.
Team Yandex have won their first major Dota 2 tournament, taking down 
Team Spirit 3–1 in a heated rematch to claim the DreamLeague Season 27 title. Yandex earned US$214,000 in prize money, along with a hefty 3,400 ESL Pro Tour (EPT) points haul.
Their victory was one of the most compelling, story-rich runs to unfold at this year-end showdown.
Yandex entered the tournament as one of the more intriguing dark horses. Unlike other teams that qualified through direct invites or top-tier qualifiers, Yandex took the Hail Mary route through Division 2, claiming one of the final slots in the tournament.
The majority of Yandex’s roster–namely 
Alimzhan “Watson” Islambekov, Arman “Malady” Orazbayev, 
Ilya “CHIRA_JUNIOR” Chirtsov, and Evgeniy “Noticed” Ignatenko–had reached respectable placements in previous events, but this victory marks their first major tournament title.
As highlighted by many within the community, the achievement would not have been possible without the experience and leadership of 
Martin “Saksa” Sazdov, who has served as a stand-in for the team over the past couple of months. The veteran support player boasts the most experience and pedigree on the roster, including a The International title and multiple major accomplishments.
Despite initial doubts surrounding the newly formed lineup, Yandex showed promise heading into DreamLeague Season 27. Earlier in the season, the team secured a third-place finish at FISSURE PLAYGROUND 2 in November, followed by a runner-up placement at BLAST Slam V in early December.
The team carried strong momentum into DreamLeague and did not allow anything to disrupt their stride–including a major mid-tournament patch. Yandex also completed a dominant upper-bracket run before claiming the DreamLeague Season 27 championship, capping off an impressive campaign.
Yandex’s path to the DreamLeague Season 27 Finals
Team Yandex began the tournament with a shaky Group Stage performance, finishing with a 4–1 win-loss record. Most of their wins came against mid-tier teams, while losses to 
OG and 
Xtreme Gaming tempered expectations.
Those results further lowered confidence in the squad, but Yandex stepped up once the Playoffs began. They defeated 
Virtus.pro 2–1 in the first round, followed by another hard-fought 2–1 victory over 
Tundra Esports. Yandex then swept Team Spirit 2–0 in the Upper Bracket Finals, setting up a rematch against the powerhouse in the Grand Finals.
Throughout the final series, Yandex showcased exceptional teamfighting prowess, frequently prevailing in full-scale 5v5 clash. The first map slipped away, as 
Illya “Yatoro” Mulyarchuk’s Phantom Assassin took over with a dominant 16/1/9 KDA. However, Yandex rebounded strongly, drafting their go-to punishing heroes such as Viper, Shadow Shaman, and Templar Assassin.
Most notably, in the third game of the series, Yandex dismantled Spirit so thoroughly that they forced a 24-minute surrender–an unusual move by the team who's known for hardly giving up.
It became clear that Spirit had no answer to Yandex’s relentless aggression, despite multiple opportunities to adapt. The rematch ended with a statement victory for Yandex, who closed out the series 3–1.
It has been a remarkable start to the 2025/2026 season, with several new contenders rising to Dota 2’s top echelon. OG had secured their third Top 6 finish with their DreamLeague Season 27 campaign, while 
MOUZ lifted their first tournament trophy at PGL Wallachia 6 in November. Now, Team Yandex caps off the year with a historic triumph, entering the new season firmly in the spotlight.
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