Vitality have ended their title drought by conquering Aurora 3-1 in the StarSeries Fall 2026 grand final, securing their first championship since early May.
The French squad, previously ranked number one globally, endured a challenging season marked by inconsistent performances and William "mezii" Merriman's parental leave. However, reunited with their complete roster in Barcelona, they demonstrated their championship pedigree.
The grand final day proved grueling for Vitality, who first dispatched FURIA in the consolidation final before facing Aurora. This meant competing across six maps in a single afternoon, yet their legendary endurance prevailed. Star player Mathieu "ZywOo" Herbaut delivered a masterclass with an exceptional 1.51 rating.
Their last trophy came at BLAST Rivals on May 3, making this victory a timely confidence boost ahead of the Singapore Major.
Aurora had defeated Vitality the previous day through dominant CT performances on Nuke and Anubis, but couldn't replicate that success when facing elimination. "After yesterday, we knew what they would do," Shahar "flameZ" Shushan explained post-match.
The rematch on Anubis showcased a transformed Vitality. After losing 7-13 yesterday, they stormed to a 9-3 halftime advantage, with mezii recording a phenomenal 2.24 rating. Their T-side execution was clinical, contrasting sharply with their previous 0-8 showing.
Aurora fought back on Inferno behind Ali "Wicadia" Haydar Yalçın's heroics, forcing overtime and stealing the map to level the series 1-1.
Mirage saw ZywOo operating with supreme confidence, leading Vitality to an effortless 13-4 victory. Cache closed the series as the French superstar continued his dominance, opening with a crucial 1v2 clutch and maintaining pressure throughout.
While Jimi "Jimpphat" Salo entered as pre-final MVP candidate, he struggled under pressure with a 0.81 rating across the grand final. Only Wicadia performed adequately for Aurora, while Ismailcan "XANTARES" Dörtkardeş managed just 0.69.
With ZywOo in such electrifying form, Vitality now head to Pro League with renewed momentum.
