Team Yandex sweep Team Spirit to reach BLAST Slam VIII grand final as PARIVISION knock out Aurora

Team Yandex are the first team into the grand final of BLAST Slam VIII in Malta. They swept reigning International champions Team Spirit 2-0 in the upper-bracket final on Saturday 10 October. Later the same day, PARIVISION beat Aurora Gaming 2-0 in the lower-bracket semi-final. That sets up Spirit vs PARIVISION, a rematch of this year's TI grand final, for the second place in Sunday's title match.

Yandex win a long game and a short one

The first game of the upper final took 50 minutes. Yandex, playing on the Radiant side, eventually broke Spirit to go 1-0 up. Game two was much quicker: Yandex won it in 34 minutes on the Dire side.

The win means Yandex will finish no lower than second, which is worth at least US$135,000. They reached the upper final by beating PARIVISION 2-1 in the upper semi-final on Friday 9 October, so PARIVISION have now lost to Yandex once already this week.

PARIVISION end Aurora's run

In the lower bracket, PARIVISION eliminated Aurora Gaming in two games, but neither was quick. The first lasted 65 minutes and PARIVISION won it on the Dire side. They closed out the series in 43 minutes on the Radiant side.

Aurora leave Malta in fourth place with US$65,000. PARIVISION are guaranteed at least third place and US$95,000.

Sunday's schedule in Malaysia time

BLAST's official schedule for Sunday 11 October, converted from Central European Summer Time:

• Lower-bracket final, Team Spirit vs PARIVISION (best-of-three): 5pm Malaysia time
• Grand final, Team Yandex vs the lower-bracket final winner (best-of-five): 9pm Malaysia time

Fans in Malaysia can watch the whole final day in the evening. If the grand final goes to four or five games, it could run past midnight.

A TI rematch

Spirit and PARIVISION met in the grand final of The International 2026, and Spirit won that title. The two teams also topped their groups in Malta and won their seeding matches, which gave them first-round byes in the playoffs.

The winner then faces a Yandex side with recent tier-one form against Spirit: Yandex beat them to win DreamLeague Season 27. Whoever loses the lower-bracket final finishes third.

Prize money

The prize pool is split between players and organisations. The champion receives US$270,000, of which US$200,000 goes to the players. The runner-up earns US$135,000 and third place US$95,000. Earlier in the playoffs, LGD Gaming finished in the joint fifth-to-sixth places.

Key takeaways

• Team Yandex beat Team Spirit 2-0 in the upper-bracket final, winning in 50 and 34 minutes.
• PARIVISION beat Aurora Gaming 2-0 in the lower-bracket semi-final, and Aurora finish fourth.
• Spirit vs PARIVISION, a TI 2026 grand final rematch, is scheduled for 5pm Malaysia time on Sunday 11 October.
• The best-of-five grand final is scheduled for 9pm Malaysia time the same day.
• The champion takes US$270,000.

FAQ

Where is BLAST Slam VIII being played? The playoffs are at BLAST's studio arena at Ta' Qali in Malta. The final day is Sunday 11 October.

Who can still win BLAST Slam VIII? Team Yandex, plus the winner of the lower-bracket final between Team Spirit and PARIVISION.

What time is the BLAST Slam VIII grand final in Malaysia? It is scheduled for 3pm CEST on Sunday 11 October, which is 9pm Malaysia time. It is a best-of-five series.

Sources: Field Level Media, GosuGamers, BLAST.tv, esports.gg