NAVI and Aurora Gaming Faced Off in PGL Wallachia
The two teams competed for a 2-0 record in the group stage of the Dota 2 tournament in Bucharest.
Updated on Sept. 20, 2026 in eSports
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NAVI and Aurora Gaming met in a best-of-3 Dota 2 series at PGL Wallachia Season 9. Both organizations entered the match after securing victories in their opening group stage series.
Why it matters
This tournament represents the first major competitive event for professional rosters following The International 2026. Teams are currently navigating a 16-team Swiss-system group stage held at the PGL Studio.
The tournament offers a total prize pool of $1,000,000 across the 16-team field. Aurora Gaming added carry player Oliver Lepko, who is a two-time winner of The International, to their active roster.
The players
NAVI
NAVI is a prominent professional eSports organization that secured a 2-0 win against Hokori on the tournament's first day.
Aurora Gaming
Aurora Gaming is an eSports organization that defeated Pipsqueak+4 with a 2-1 score in their opening group stage match.
Oliver Lepko
Oliver Lepko is a professional Dota 2 player who joined Aurora Gaming as their carry player and has won The International twice.
The details
The event is being conducted without a live audience in Bucharest, with several participating teams utilizing stand-in players due to ongoing visa delays. Matches are broadcast globally via official PGL streaming channels.
Timeline
September 19, 2026: PGL Wallachia Season 9 officially began.
September 20, 2026: NAVI and Aurora Gaming played a best-of-3 series starting at 15:00 local time.
September 27, 2026: The tournament is scheduled to conclude.
Season Trajectory
This tournament acts as the inaugural testing ground for newly shuffled rosters following The International 2026. Early results in this Swiss-system stage are critical for determining seeding as teams transition into the double-elimination playoff bracket.
The winner of this best-of-3 series moves to a 2-0 record in the Swiss-system group stage, significantly improving their path to the playoffs. A loss forces the defeated team to play additional elimination series to avoid being knocked out of the $1,000,000 tournament.
The takeaway
The competitive landscape remains volatile as teams adjust to new roster compositions and visa-related player absences. Fans should monitor group stage standings closely, as the best-of-3 format places high stakes on every individual series.
Further reading
For more coverage on major competitive gaming events, visit eSports.
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Do you plan to watch the PGL Wallachia Season 9 matches this week?
