The rematch of the IEM Rio 2026 semi-final is finally here, but this time, the stakes are even higher. Team Spirit will face Falcons in the Grand Final of PGL Astana 2026.
One of the biggest storylines heading into the final is the unbelievable form of donk, who continues to shock the Counter-Strike 2 world with his performances. On the other side, Falcons are searching for their first success under their new in-game leader, karrigan.
Neither team has lifted a trophy in 2026 so far, meaning one of them will finally claim their first title of the year.
The last time these two teams met was in the semi-final of IEM Rio 2026, where Spirit secured a convincing 2-0 victory over Falcons.
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Contents
Previous Encounter & Player Stats – Spirit vs. Falcons
Road to the Final: Team Form Breakdown
Spirit’s Semi-final Run
Spirit’s Dominant Form
Team Spirit has looked unstoppable throughout the tournament.
Their superstar rifler donk, already considered by many to be one of the greatest mechanical talents Counter-Strike 2 has ever seen, currently holds an incredible 1.63 tournament rating. Maintaining such a level of dominance consistently at the elite level is almost unimaginable.
In the semi-final, Spirit completely dismantled MOUZ with a dominant 2-0 victory, losing only five rounds across both maps. It was a statement performance against one of the strongest teams in the world, and Donk once again delivered absurd numbers, finishing the series with a staggering 1.95 rating.
What makes Spirit even more dangerous is that they have already shown they can defeat top-tier opponents even when donk is not hard-carrying the server. Their system looks polished, their confidence is sky-high, and they appear more ready than ever to claim their first trophy of the year.
Falcons’ Semi-final Run
Falcons Rising Under karrigan
Falcons are playing their first tournament with the legendary Karrigan leading the roster, and reaching the final already signals major progress.
Their road to the final was far more difficult. In the quarter-final, Falcons survived a thrilling three-map battle against FURIA featuring multiple overtime periods. Despite the pressure, they never gave up and eventually secured the win.
The semi-final proved more manageable as they faced surprise underdogs, MAGIC. Falcons handled the matchup professionally, closing out the series 2-0 to secure their place in the Grand Final.
The team’s star trio m0NESY, kyosuke, and NiKo, all appear to be in strong form heading into the final.
kyousuke especially impressive against FURIA, showing that he can take over games single-handedly, much like m0NESY when positioned correctly. That is exactly where karrigan’s leadership becomes crucial: maximizing the strengths of his individual stars and creating space for them to shine.
Overall, Falcons look dangerous, but the biggest challenge of the tournament still awaits them.
Falcons karrigan is hyped about the finals
Grand Final Prediction: Spirit vs Falcons
Both teams fully deserve their place in the Grand Final, but Spirit currently looks like the stronger side.
They have crushed nearly every opponent in Astana, and with donk performing at an almost superhuman level, stopping Spirit becomes an incredibly difficult task even for elite teams.
The map pool also seems to favor Spirit. Falcons still appear vulnerable on maps like Anubis and Overpass, and Spirit is likely to target one of those weaknesses early in the best-of-five series. Starting with a potential 1-0 map advantage could be massive in a final of this caliber.
Prediction: Spirit to win PGL Astana 2026 Grand Final.
Can karrigan deliver Falcons a championship in his very first tournament with the team, or will Spirit continue their dominant run and defeat Falcons once again, just like they did in Rio? We’ll find out this Sunday at 14:00 CET.
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