ESL One Birmingham 2026: Tundra Esports Crowned Champions at BP Pulse Live
ESL One Birmingham came to a close tonight with the unstoppable Tundra Esports securing the trophy in a thrilling Grand Final clash at BP Pulse Live, Birmingham.
Held alongside the inaugural DreamHack Birmingham festival, which saw record-breaking attendance for a debut event, the tournament delivered an unforgettable weekend of top tier competition. Running from March 22-29, the event brought together the world’s best teams for eight days of elite Dota 2 action.
Defeating fierce competitors Team Yandex, Tundra Esports emerged victorious, etching their name in esports history. With their incredible performance, Tundra Esports took home a share of the $1,000,000 total prize pool, 35,460 EPT Points, and the coveted ESL One trophy.
ESL One captivated audiences worldwide, reaching a peak viewership of over 306K* and drawing more than 13,000 fans to BP Pulse Live across three days of competition.
Group Stage
Making a return to Birmingham for the first time since 2024, the tournament commenced on 22 March with the Group Stage, with 16 of the world’s best teams split into two groups of eight.
Team Yandex went unbeaten and topped Group A, with local UK hero Matthew ‘Ari’ Walker and his Tundra Esports side finishing a close second, whilst MOUZ and PARIVISION eked through in third and fourth place.
In Group B, Aurora Gaming finished at the top of the group, with Team Spirit a narrow second. Team Falcons and Xtreme Gaming qualified for the Lower Bracket.
Playoffs
The Playoffs kicked off at BP Pulse Live with the opening Lower Bracket matches, as Xtreme Gaming defeated MOUZ to keep their run alive, while PARIVISION secured a win over Team Falcons to progress. Later in the day, Team Spirit also faced Xtreme Gaming, with Xtreme Gaming continuing their momentum with another victory.
In the Upper Bracket, Team Yandex defeated Team Spirit to advance to the Upper Bracket Final, where they met Tundra Esports, who had earlier sent Aurora Gaming to the Lower Bracket.
On day two, PARIVISION battled past Aurora Gaming to book their place in the Lower Bracket Semifinal. Later that day, Team Yandex and Tundra Esports faced off in the Upper Bracket Final, where Tundra Esports delivered a commanding 2-0 performance to secure their spot in the Grand Final.
In the final match of the day, Xtreme Gaming halted PARIVISION’s momentum in the Lower Bracket Semifinal, earning a place in the Lower Bracket Final.
On the final day of the tournament, Team Yandex defeated Xtreme Gaming in the Lower Bracket Final with a 2-1 score, setting the stage for a blockbuster Grand Final.
Grand Final
With both teams delivering strong performances throughout the Playoffs, Tundra Esports and Team Yandex met in the Grand Final. Their rivalry had already been established earlier in the tournament with a 1-1 result in the Group Stage, while Tundra Esports had held the edge in recent meetings, winning four of their last seven encounters since the Esports World Cup in July 2025.
Team Yandex struck first, taking the opening game, but Tundra Esports responded confidently by winning the next round and taking back control of the series.
In the third game, Tundra completed a dominant sweep, closing out the series 3-1 to secure the ESL One Birmingham 2026 title.
“It feels surreal, I can't believe how amazing the crowd has been…it really fueled my motivation to win. This win is for all of us!” said local legend Matthew ‘Ari’ Walker from Tundra Esports
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“ESL One Birmingham 2026 has once again showcased the incredible depth and global appeal of competitive Dota 2. From the intensity of the group stage to an unforgettable Grand Final here in Birmingham, the level of competition has been outstanding. Congratulations to Tundra Esports on a truly phenomenal performance, and to all teams for delivering a world class tournament for fans both in the arena and watching around the world,” said Álvaro Sánchez Velasco, Product Manager Dota 2, ESL FACEIT Group.