Team Vitality wins IEM Rio, claims second consecutive ESL Grand Slam

Team Vitality won the IEM Rio grand final on Sunday night, sweeping Team Spirit 3-0 to secure its fourth title of the 2026 season and claim its second consecutive ESL Grand Slam, according to the organisation.

Team Vitality said the result makes its Counter-Strike roster the first to win back-to-back ESL Grand Slams. The team said the latest win in Rio followed ESL victories at IEM Dallas 2025, ESL Pro League 2025 and IEM Kraków 2026, completing the ESL Grand Slam run and awarding an additional $1,000,000 prize.

IEM Rio featured 16 teams and was played in front of a Brazilian crowd, the company said. Vitality’s roster—Dan “apEX” Madesclaire, Mathieu “ZywOo” Herbaut, Robin “ropz” Kool, William “mezii” Merriman, and Shahar “flameZ” Shushan—advanced through the bracket with wins over NAVI (2-0) and FURIA (2-0), after dropping a map earlier in the tournament against G2, according to the release.

Vitality said Herbaut was named tournament MVP. The organisation also said Kool became the first player to win three ESL Grand Slam titles consecutively, citing his previous Grand Slam win with FaZe Clan in Season 4.

“In 2026, we continue to operate at the same high standards we established in 2025, racking up victories. In this tournament, I sensed a team enjoying itself and playing with the ambition not only to win, but also to make history, by becoming the only organisation to win two ESL Grand Slams. It’s worth mentioning that only five teams in history have managed to win even one, which further highlights the significance of this achievement”, explains Fabien “Neo” Devide, co-founder of Team Vitality. “This is a pivotal moment for these exceptional players and the legacy of the club. They are making Team Vitality not only the best CS2 club in the world, but perhaps one of the greatest of all time. We are living in an extraordinary era. We must stay humble and continue to enjoy it.”