The BLAST Slam VII tournament had Dota 2 esports fans on the edge of their seats right from the start, with the grueling Group Stage seeing the elimination of favorites such as Team Spirit and Tundra Esports. As the action headed to the BLAST Studios venue in Copenhagen, Denmark, the heat was turned up to 11.

Teams competed on LAN from 4 to 7 June 2026 for glory and a piece of the huge $1 million prize pool (roughly R16.5 million), and to build some momentum heading into the EWC 2026. Here's how things went down.

While not really considered a massive underdog any longer, Team Yandex was still not one of the teams many fans thought would barrel through the double-elimination Playoffs Stage at BLAST Slam VII. These fans, including myself, were wrong.

Team Yandex kicked off their Playoffs Stage campaign by smashing Aurora Gaming 2-0. In the Upper Bracket Semifinals, they had a close clash with Chinese powerhouse LGD Gaming, but managed to come out on top 2-1. They reverse-swept BetBoom Team in the Upper Bracket Final for a spot in the Grand Final.

After dropping down to the Lower Bracket, LGD Gaming beat Team Liquid 2-0, reverse-swept Aurora Gaming 2-1, and took down BetBoom Team 2-1 for a spot in the Grand Final of BLAST Slam VII. In the Grand Final, Team Yandex rose to the occasion, beating LGD Gaming 3-1 to lift the trophy in style. Congratulations!

For a complete overview of the final BLAST Slam VII standings, check out the table below, which features all teams, their final positions, and the amount of money won (in USD).

Next up for Dota 2 fans is the Esports World Cup 2026, kicking off in early July. Stay tuned to Esports Central, as we'll bring you a viewer's guide, coverage, and the final results!

Header image via BLAST.