Nigma Galaxy defeated Natus Vincere in the quarterfinals of the upper bracket of the closed European qualifiers for The International 2026. The series ended with a score of 2:0 in favor of Artem Lorenof Melnyk's team.
The defeat sent NAVI to the lower bracket, where the team no longer has the right to make mistakes. Nigma, on the other hand, has kept the chance to secure a spot in the main tournament of the year through the shortest path.
Nigma's next opponent will be Team Spirit. The match will take place on June 25 at 14:00 Moscow time in a best-of-3 format. The winner guarantees themselves a direct slot at The International 2026, while the loser will continue to fight through the lower bracket.
The closed European qualifiers are taking place from June 21 to June 28. Four spots in the main stage of The International 2026 in Shanghai are up for grabs. This year, Valve has combined the Western and Eastern European qualifiers into one tournament.
