The International 2026 (TI15) Elimination Stage Preview and Predictions

Owen Harsono Published 15/08/2026

The TI15 Group Stage is almost over, and all that’s left is the very deadly Elimination Stage, which will eliminate five teams and allow the five survivors to advance to the playoffs. Below, we’ll walk you through how the Elimination Stage works, the matchups, and our best picks.

TI15 Elimination Stage Format

The Elimination Stage is the final phase of the TI15 Group Stage. The modified Swiss format promotes the top three teams directly to the playoffs, while the bottom three are eliminated from the event right then and there.

The remaining ten teams enter the Elimination Stage, where they’ll play a single Best of 3 series to determine a playoff berth or flights back home.

Teams that finish the Swiss Stage with a 3-2 record will face those that finished with a 2-3 record. The winner advances to the playoffs, while the loser is sent packing. The format is very simple, but there’s a lot on the line.

With how important these matches are, now is the perfect time to place Dota 2 bets on GG.Bet. These teams are going to pull out all of their pocket strats to secure a victory here.

TI15 Elimination Stage Matchups and Predictions

Let’s take a look at the five matches and go over which teams we think will take their respective series and advance to the playoffs.

Team Falcons vs Vici Gaming

The defending champions take on a home team in a do-or-die elimination match. Vici Gaming knocked Team Falcons out of the Dota 2 Esports World Cup last month, and this is the perfect opportunity for the MENA-backed squad to take their sweet revenge.

Image via Valve

Overall, Team Falcons have clearly looked like the better team on paper and enter this series as heavy favorites. Vici Gaming might steal a map away, but we’re confident that ATF and company will win the series.

Our pick:

Team Falcons Match Winner @ 1.26 odds

Iron Wing vs GamerLegion

Iron Wing didn’t have the perfect Swiss Stage campaign, but the team is looking really sharp and poised to make it to the playoffs. They managed to win against the likes of Team Falcons and Team Yandex, showing they can hang with the big boys.

On the other hand, GamerLegion have exceeded expectations – many fans predicted them to bomb out 1-4 or 0-4, but the North American squad is still hanging on by a thread. Still, we believe Iron Wing will take this series very comfortably, with a 2-0 on the cards.

Our pick:

• Iron Wing Match Winner @ 1.13 odds

Team Spirit vs Team Resilience

This series is really a no-brainer. Team Spirit are in great shape, starting their Swiss Stage run with a 3-0 record. They have since slowed down after losing to tournament favorites TEAM VISION and dropping a very close series against Nigma Galaxy. However, Yatoro and the gang should make very light work of Team Resilience.

Team Resilience did take maps off TEAM VISION and Team Yandex, which is very promising for an underdog squad. There’s a small chance Team Resilience could snatch one lucky map, but Team Spirit should win the series ten out of ten times.

Our pick:

• Team Spirit Match Winner @ 1.15 odds

Aurora Gaming vs BoomBoys

Aurora versus BoomBoys is the closest series we have in the Elimination Stage. The two teams actually duked it out just yesterday, with Aurora taking a 2-0 victory after two heavy outdrafts. And now, they’re playing against each other again only 24 hours later, but this time, for elimination.

Even though Aurora won out the previous head-to-head, we believe BoomBoys will bounce back and take this series. The boys in red should learn from their mistakes and draft a more cohesive lineup. It’s going to be a close series, but we think BoomBoys edge it out 2-1.

Our pick:

• BoomBoys Match Winner @ 2.10 odds

LGD Gaming vs Team Yandex

The final series of the day sees Topson and LGD Gaming take on Team Yandex for the final playoff spot.

Team Yandex were ranked second on our TI15 power rankings, but they’ve looked extremely shaky, even ending the Swiss Stage with a 2-3 record. However, they were fortunate enough to draw LGD Gaming – one of the weaker teams in the bracket.

Though LGD Gaming have shown some promising signs in their past couple of matches, Team Yandex overwhelms them as the better team on paper.

We’re fairly confident Saksa will lead Team Yandex to the playoffs, and all they have to do is beat LGD Gaming here, which shouldn’t be too tall of a task.

Our pick:

• Team Yandex Match Winner @ 1.25 odds

Owen Harsono

About Owen Harsono

Owen lives for competition, spending most of his gaming hours on Dota 2, CS2, and Valorant. A regular on the SEA Dota 2 leaderboards, he combines his first-hand experience with a deep passion for esports journalism, following the professional scenes of all three esports betting titles religiously. When he’s not writing, he’s most probably betting on esports and watching the latest events.

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