TI 2026 power rankings after Day 3 — VISION #1, Nigma rising, Falcons fall to 3-2
TI 2026 Day 3 power rankings. TEAM VISION (PARIVISION) is the #1 seed after an undefeated 4-0. Nigma Galaxy is the surprise story at 4-1. Team Falcons drops to 3-2 and the Elimination Round. Full 16-team ranking.
Title contender. Locked the upper bracket at 4-0. The team to beat from here on out.
Title contender. Locked the upper bracket at 4-1. Top-3 seed with a real path to the Grand Final.
Elimination Round contender. 3-2 record, one Bo3 win from the upper bracket. The strongest 3-2 teams.
Elimination Round. 2-3 record, one Bo3 loss from going home. The weaker 2-3 teams still alive.
Eliminated. 0-4 or 1-4. Going home with the 13th-16th prize.
How we ranked them
This TI 2026 power ranking is current to Day 3 of the group stage (Aug 15, 2026), after Round 5. The list reflects 13 active teams (HULIGANI, OG, and Xtreme Gaming are eliminated) and the playoff bracket picture after Day 3.
We ranked every team by:
- Current W-L record — the dominant signal at this stage of the tournament
- Quality of wins and losses — a 4-0 with a 2-0 win over a fellow 3-0 team is the best possible resume
- Game differential — 8-2 (TEAM VISION) and 9-5 (Team Liquid) lead the tournament
- Round 5 performance — the day that decided the bracket
- Mid-lane performance — the mid lane has decided every TI final since 2018
The S-tier overall — the team to beat — is TEAM VISION (PARIVISION).
S Tier — Title Contender
1. TEAM VISION (4-0, 8-2) — Day 3: 2-0 over Team Spirit (Round 4)
VISION is the team to beat. The 4-0 sweep through the group stage is the best possible resume, and the Round 4 2-0 over Spirit (the only other 3-0 team) was a statement. Satanic's Juggernaut is the strongest carry performance of the tournament, and No[o]ne's mid-lane is the best in the EU region. 9Class and Dukalis are the best-positioned supports in the bracket. VISION is the #1 seed.
X-factor: Satanic's tempo. VISION wins the laning phase, then snowballs. The 4-0 record includes three 2-0 sweeps and one 2-1 (Round 1 vs Resilience was the closest series). A 5-0 group stage is mathematically impossible (5 rounds in Swiss), so 4-0 is the ceiling.
A Tier — Title Contender
2. Nigma Galaxy (4-1, 8-2) — Day 3: 2-0 over Team Spirit (Round 5)
Nigma is the second-best team in the tournament. The 4-1 record includes a Round 5 sweep of Spirit that locked the upper bracket. Nigma's path was bumpier than VISION's — they lost to HULIGANI 0-2 in the Round 2 0-1 bracket, then won 4 straight. SumaiL's carry is the best individual performance on a 4-1 team, and GH's support play is the best of any 4-1 team's support.
X-factor: GH's Earthshaker. Nigma's late-game decision-making is the best in the tournament, and the 4-1 record is the best in the org's history at TI. KuroKy is in his 11th TI and the team's draft discipline is the difference.
3. Team Liquid (4-1, 9-5) — Day 3: 2-1 over Aurora Gaming (Round 5)
Team Liquid is the third-best team. The 4-1 record includes three straight 2-1 reverse sweeps (Iron Wing in Round 4, BoomBoys in Round 2, Aurora in Round 5) and a Round 1 2-0 over Vici Gaming. Nisha's mid-lane is the strongest on a 4-1 team, and m1CKe's carry is the second-best in the EU region.
X-factor: Nisha on Ember Spirit. Liquid's drafting has been the most consistent of any 4-1 team, and the team's late-game execution is the difference in the close series. Liquid is the #3 seed.
B Tier — Elimination Round Contender (3-2)
The 5 teams at 3-2 play the Aug 16 Elimination Round. The top 3 of these are stronger than the 2-3 teams and have a real chance of winning the tournament if they advance.
4. Team Falcons (3-2) — Day 3: 2-1 over BoomBoys (Round 5)
The defending TI 2025 champions are 3-2 after a 2-1 win over BoomBoys in Round 5. The team's path was unusually bumpy for a defending champion — they lost to TEAM VISION 1-2 in Round 2, to Iron Wing 1-2 in Round 3, then won the 1-2 elimination bracket matches (GamerLegion in Round 4, BoomBoys in Round 5). Skiter's carry is the best of any 3-2 team's, and Cr1t's hard support is still the best in the world.
X-factor: Skiter's Medusa. The team's Io + Medusa combo is the strongest in the tournament. A win over Vici Gaming on Aug 16 puts Falcons in the upper bracket; a loss sends them home. The Aug 16 matchup is the most important of Falcons' season.
5. Aurora Gaming (3-2) — Day 3: 1-2 to Team Liquid (Round 5)
Aurora dropped to 3-2 after the Round 5 loss to Liquid. The 3-2 record was earned by beating BoomBoys 2-0 (Round 4), GamerLegion 2-0 (Round 1), and Team Yandex 2-1 (Round 3), with losses to Team Spirit 0-2 (Round 2) and Team Liquid 1-2 (Round 5). Nightfall's mid is the best CIS mid in the tournament.
X-factor: Nightfall on Puck. Aurora's draft is built around his tempo picks, and the team is most dangerous when Nightfall is the best mid in the game. The Aug 16 matchup vs BoomBoys is a winnable Bo3.
6. Iron Wing (3-2) — Day 3: 2-1 over Team Yandex (Round 5)
Iron Wing is the surprise team of the group stage. The 3-2 record was earned by beating Nigma Galaxy 2-0 (Round 1), Team Yandex 0-2 was a loss (Round 1), then wins over Team Falcons 2-1 (Round 3), Team Liquid 1-2 (Round 4 loss), and Team Yandex 2-1 (Round 5). The roster is the ex-Tundra Esports lineup (Pure, bzm, 33, Ari, Whitemon) playing under the Iron Wing tag because Valve prohibits gambling sponsors.
X-factor: 33's hero pool. The two-time TI champion (TI 2022 with Tundra, TI 2024 with Team Liquid) is the most versatile mid in the tournament. The Aug 16 matchup vs GamerLegion is a coin-flip.
7. Team Spirit (3-2) — Day 3: 0-2 to Nigma Galaxy (Round 5)
Spirit dropped to 3-2 after the Round 5 loss to Nigma. The 3-2 record includes a 3-0 run to start (Xtreme Gaming 2-0 in Round 1, Aurora 2-0 in Round 2, Team Liquid 2-1 in Round 3) before back-to-back losses to VISION (0-2 in Round 4) and Nigma (0-2 in Round 5). Yatoro's carry is the best of any 3-2 team's.
X-factor: Yatoro on Spectre. The two-time TI champion (TI 2021, TI 2023) is the most experienced carry in the Elimination Round. The Aug 16 matchup vs Team Resilience is a winnable Bo3.
8. LGD Gaming (3-2) — Day 3: 2-0 over Vici Gaming (Round 5)
LGD is the surprise 3-2 team. The South American representative qualified through the open qualifier, and the 3-2 record is the best of any non-EU/CIS team. The team's path includes wins over HULIGANI 2-1 (Round 1), LGD 0-2 vs Nigma (Round 2), LGD 2-1 vs Resilience (Round 3), LGD 2-1 vs Xtreme (Round 4), and LGD 2-0 vs VG (Round 5). Topson replaced TaiLung mid-tournament; the substitution was a catalyst.
X-factor: Topson's hero pool. The two-time TI champion (TI 2018, TI 2019 with OG) is the most decorated mid in the Elimination Round. The Aug 16 matchup vs Team Yandex is the most winnable Bo3 of the day for LGD.
C Tier — Elimination Round (2-3)
The 5 teams at 2-3 play Aug 16. All are one Bo3 loss from going home with the 13th-16th prize.
9. Team Resilience (2-3) — Day 3: 2-0 over Xtreme Gaming (Round 5)
Resilience dropped Team Yandex 2-1 in Round 4 and then eliminated Xtreme 2-0 in Round 5. The Chinese qualifier team's only path to the playoffs is the Aug 16 matchup vs Team Spirit. The team's carry (zzq) and mid (planet) are above average for a 2-3 team.
10. GamerLegion (2-3) — Day 3: 2-0 over OG (Round 5)
GamerLegion finished 2-3 with a 2-0 over OG in Round 5. The North American qualifier team's path was brutal — they opened 0-2 (Aurora in Round 1, Xtreme in Round 2), then won 2 of 3 (VG 2-1 in Round 3, Falcons 1-2 in Round 4, OG 2-0 in Round 5). Ghost's carry is the best NA carry in the tournament.
11. Vici Gaming (2-3) — Day 3: 0-2 to LGD Gaming (Round 5)
VG's only Bo3 wins came against HULIGANI (Round 2 2-1) and Team Liquid (0-2 was a loss in Round 1). The 2-3 record was earned by losing the 1-2 matches and winning one Bo3 in the 0-2 bracket. The Aug 16 matchup vs Team Falcons is the toughest possible opponent.
12. Team Yandex (2-3) — Day 3: 1-2 to Iron Wing (Round 5)
Yandex is the weakest 2-3 team. The only Bo3 win came in Round 1 over HULIGANI 2-0. The team's 1-2 score on the 1-2 bracket means they dropped to the 2-3 elimination; the Aug 16 matchup vs LGD is a coin-flip.
13. BoomBoys (2-3) — Day 3: 1-2 to Team Falcons (Round 5)
BoomBoys (BetBoom Team under the broadcast tag) is the second 2-3 EU team. The team's only Bo3 wins were OG 2-0 (Round 1) and Iron Wing 2-1 (Round 2). The 1-2 to Falcons in Round 5 dropped them to the 2-3 elimination; the Aug 16 matchup vs Aurora is the toughest possible opponent.
F Tier — Eliminated
14. OG (1-4) — Day 3: 0-2 to GamerLegion (Round 5)
OG finished 1-4. The SEA representative's only Bo3 win was over HULIGANI 2-1 in Round 4 (the 0-3 elimination match). bzm's mid-lane is the best SEA mid in the tournament, but the rest of the team didn't show up.
15. Xtreme Gaming (1-4) — Day 3: 0-2 to Team Resilience (Round 5)
XG finished 1-4. The consensus pre-event #2 seed had the worst result of any direct invite. The team's only Bo3 win was over HULIGANI 2-0 in Round 3 (the 0-2 bracket). Xm's mid-lane was the team's only consistent performer.
16. HULIGANI (0-4) — Day 3: 1-2 to OG (Round 4)
HULIGANI finished 0-4. The EU qualifier team (formerly L1GA TEAM) lost all 4 of their Bo3 series. The team played 4 series and never won one — the worst result of any team at TI 2026.
What's next
Aug 16 — Elimination Round. 5 Bo3 matches resolve the playoff field. Aug 20-23 — TI 2026 Playoffs at the Oriental Sports Center, Shanghai. The next article in this series will cover the Aug 16 Elimination recap, followed by the playoff preview.
About 8 minutes read.
