Team Vitality win IEM Rio 2026, secure second straight ESL Grand Slam

The result confirms Vitality as the first team to ever win back-to-back Grand Slams, a milestone that comes with the $1 million bonus awarded to teams that complete the circuit.

Clean Finish in IEM Rio 2026

Vitality closed out the tournament without dropping a map in the final, showing control throughout the series against Spirit.

Their run in Brazil included wins over top teams such as NAVI and FURIA in the playoffs, setting up a dominant finish on the main stage.

Mathieu “ZywOo” Herbaut once again played a key role in the team’s success and was named MVP of the event, continuing his strong form across 2026.

Second Grand Slam in a Row

The ESL Grand Slam is awarded to teams that win four top-tier ESL events within a set span. Vitality completed this run with victories across IEM Dallas 2025, ESL Pro League 2025, IEM Kraków 2026, and IEM Rio 2026.

What sets this apart is timing. Vitality had already secured a Grand Slam prior to this run, and now become the only team to repeat the achievement immediately after.

The current roster of Dan “apEX” Madesclaire, ZywOo, Robin “ropz” Kool, William “mezii” Merriman, and Shahar “flameZ” Shushan continues to deliver consistent results across the ESL circuit.

Part of a Strong 2026 Run

The Rio win marks Vitality’s fourth title of the 2026 season so far, adding to an already stacked year.

Earlier in the season, the team also swept NAVI to win BLAST Open Rotterdam 2026, reinforcing their position at the top of the Counter-Strike scene.

The current form places Vitality firmly ahead of the competition, with multiple tournament wins across different organizers and formats.

As seen in Team Vitality Sweep NAVI to Win BLAST Open Rotterdam 2026, the team has consistently delivered clean finals performances, a trend that continued in Rio.

April remains a busy stretch for Counter-Strike, with multiple top-tier events taking place across the calendar. FUT Esports Claim First CS2 Title at PGL Bucharest 2026 highlighted how new contenders are still emerging, while ecosystem updates such as Kalshi Adds Live Scores and Livestreams as It Expands Esports Markets show continued growth around the scene.

Vitality, however, remain the benchmark.

Back-to-back ESL Grand Slams, another trophy in Rio, and no signs of slowing down.

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