Esports weekend review: AG.AL crowned EWC champions, Team Spirit victorious in CS2 and Dota, Trackmania takes the spotlight

Jon Nicholson, Freelance Writer

Last Updated: 24/08/2026

After seven weeks of spectacular plays, seismic upsets, and championship-deciding drama, the Esports World Cup (EWC) has finally reached its thrilling conclusion. Chinese organisation All Gamers (AG.AL) emerged as Club Champion after victory in Trackmania pushed it beyond two-time defending champions Team Falcons.

Team Spirit also ended the tournament on an extraordinary high, claiming the Counter-Strike 2 (CS2) title in Paris and becoming the first organisation in history to win The International three times. Meanwhile, the entire Club Championship came down to one breathtaking Trackmania finale.

With the confetti settled and the trophies lifted, here’s a closer look at the most memorable moments from another action-packed weekend of esports.

AG.AL lifts the EWC 2026 trophy

Heading into EWC 2026, nobody could’ve predicted that the debuting Trackmania tournament would determine the outcome of the all-important Club Championship. Yet, with only a handful of points separating AG.AL and reigning titans Team Falcons, that’s exactly what happened.

Frenchman Gwendal ‘Gwen’ Duparc dazzled in front of his hometown crowd, combining blistering speed with remarkable precision to secure 1,000 crucial Club Championship points. AG.AL consequently finished atop the standings with 5,300 points and claimed the $7 million grand prize.

AG.AL became the second organisation in EWC history to lift the Club Championship trophy, ending Team Falcons’ two-year reign at the summit.

Priced at 9/4 (3.25) across various UK betting sites, AG.AL was already among the leading contenders for outright victory long before the seven-week competition began. However, few could have imagined its title would be secured by a French Trackmania player — especially not in the event’s final hours.

President of France Emmanuel Macron, HRH Prince Mohammed bin Salman bin Abdulaziz Al Saud, Crown Prince and Prime Minister of Saudi Arabia, and Esports Foundation CEO Ralf Reichert present the EWC26 Club Championship trophy to AG AL, recognizing the seven-week campaign across the… pic.twitter.com/xKukXaVZzh

— Esports World Cup (@EWC_EN) August 24, 2026

CS2: Team Spirit triumphs in Paris

The lopsided CS2 playoffs bracket at EWC 2026 put many powerhouse rosters on a collision course long before the Grand Final. However, IEM Cologne Major champions Team Falcons suffered a shock 2–0 defeat to Legacy, blowing the door wide open for Team Spirit. 

Spearheaded by a whopping 70 kills from Danil ‘donk’ Kryshkovets (1.46 rating), Team Spirit defeated long-time rival Team Vitality 2-1, ending a six-match losing streak against the French giant.

That victory set up a clash with Legacy in the Semifinal, where donk led the charge once again. His 1.67 rating, 111.5 average damage per round, and clinical B site defence on Dust2 handed Spirit an early advantage.

Dmitry ‘sh1ro’ Sokolov stepped into the spotlight on Ancient, recording 23 frags and a 1.73 rating as Spirit dismantled Legacy’s defence. The resulting 2–0 sweep booked Spirit a spot in the Grand Final, where FUT Esports would wait for them.

Team Spirit survives defiant FUT Esports

Priced at 11/4 (3.75) to win EWC 2026 outright, Spirit entered with a 26.7% implied probability — and the squad delivered in spades.

At 24/1 (25.0), FUT Esports arrived in the Grand Final as the clear underdog, carrying only a 4% implied probability to win the tournament. Despite this, the young upstarts showed no sign of being overawed, opening the best-of-five with a 13–10 win on Cache behind an exceptional performance from Yasin ‘xfl0ud’ Koç.

Spirit had to fight for the next two maps, surviving overtime on both Anubis and Ancient before finally breaking FUT’s resistance. The trio of donk, sh1ro, and tN1R combined relentless aggression with several pivotal multikills and clutches to move Spirit 2–1 ahead.

The fourth map was far less competitive. Spirit stormed to a 10–2 first-half lead on Nuke before completing a 13–5 victory to seal the 3–1 series. Donk also finished the tournament with a 1.50 overall rating and claimed another MVP medal for his rapidly expanding collection.

After finishing second at BLAST Bounty Season 2, victory at EWC cements Team Spirit’s place as one of the world’s very best CS2 teams. With Vitality and Falcons both showing signs of weakness, can Donk and co finally establish a legacy of their own?

Dota: Team Spirit find more success at The International 2026

Hours before Team Spirit’s CS2 roster took to the stage, their Dota 2 squad faced off against Team Vision (PARIVISION) in the Grand Final of The International 2026. Following a flawless Group Stage and an impressive run through the upper bracket, Team Vision looked unstoppable going into the Grand Final. 

The 4/1 (5.0) pre-tournament favourites opted to put Alan ‘Satanic’ Gallyamov on carry Ember Spirit in the opening game, but the decision backfired. Spirit drafted Shadow Fiend for Illya ‘Yatoro’ Mulyarchuk, who produced a 16/1/7 scoreline and ended the game with a Rampage.

+ RAMPAGE 😎🤟 #TI15 pic.twitter.com/njX8tz82gV

— Team Spirit Dota 2 (@TSpirit_Dota2) August 23, 2026

Yatoro hit his stride in game three. A phenomenal 10/1/12 performance on Terrorblade spearheaded another victory for Team Spirit, moving the organisation within a single game of its third Aegis.

However, Team Vision didn’t go down without a fight. A balanced team performance levelled the best-of-five once again, taking the Grand Final to a deciding game five. Yatoro managed to survive everything Satanic’s unorthodox Juggernaut pick could throw at him.

Team Spirit make history in Shanghai

A 7/4/13 scoreline on Lifestealer, alongside 34.5k hero damage, proved the difference, helping Spirit grind out a 64-minute decider and complete the 3–2 series win. Team Spirit consequently became the first Dota 2 team in history to win The International three times.

Pre-tournament odds of 6/1 (7.0) placed Spirit on the outskirts of the favourites, with an implied probability of 14.3% to reclaim the Aegis. For the Serbian-based organisation, victory across two huge tournaments cements its place as one of the most successful esports teams in the world.

Team Spirit are the Grand Champions of The International 2026. CONGRATULATIONS!! Yatoro & Collapse are the first ever Three Time Champions. Larl gains his Second Ring. #TI15 #Dota2 pic.twitter.com/bJvbZOvHob

— Wykrhm Reddy (@wykrhm) August 23, 2026

Trackmania takes centre stage in Paris

Trackmania may not command the same audience as Counter-Strike or Dota 2, but its competitive scene has produced fiercely contested tournaments, iconic rivalries, and a passionate community over more than two decades.

EWC brought the world’s best Trackmania talent together to compete for a share of a huge $500,000 prize pool — the largest in the game’s storied history — and an unexpected opportunity to decide the entire EWC Club Championship.

🏆 WORLD CHAMPION: @gwentm4!
👑 he didn’t just win it. he DEMOLISHED it.#Trackmania #EWC26 pic.twitter.com/kcZblvEzBQ

— Trackmania Esports 2026 (@TMesports) August 22, 2026

After Trackmania GOAT Carl-Antoni ‘Carl Jr.’ Cloutier fell in the Quarterfinals, AG.AL’s Gwen took his opportunity in front of a capacity crowd. Victory in the Semifinal earned a place in the Grand Final, with Gwen needing to finish third or higher to give the organisation $7 million in prize money. 

Gwen looked unstoppable, delivering a masterclass in the four-player final to claim the inaugural EWC Trackmania title and the $130,000 top prize. Trackmania rarely grabs the headlines, but EWC had several personalities tuning in to watch the action unfold.

Jon Nicholson, Freelance Writer

Jonno is a veteran esports journalist with over a decade of experience in covering the world of competitive gaming. Since starting in 2014, he’s covered the biggest events for outlets including Esports Insider, GGRecon, Gfinity, and Siege.GG. When he’s not writing, he can be found sim racing with varying degrees of success.

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