Astralis completed an incredible run at Stake Ranked Episode 4 with the title after an opening loss to Alliance. The team went through the entire lower bracket, won five series in a row, and stopped Nemiga in the final, ending a years-long streak without full-fledged LAN trophies.
First LAN trophy since 2019
In the grand final of Stake Ranked Episode 4, Astralis defeated Nemiga 3:1. The Danes took Mirage 13:6, lost on Ancient 10:13, and then closed Nuke 13:5 and Cache 13:7.
For the organization, this is the first full-fledged LAN title since BLAST Pro Series Global Final 2019. The victory by another Astralis roster at Copenhagen Gaming Week in 2024 was achieved at a show tournament, so the current result effectively ended a seven-year wait.
Astralis went through the entire lower bracket
The start of the tournament was unsuccessful for Astralis — the team lost to Alliance 1:2 and immediately found itself in the lower bracket. After that, the Danes no longer had any room for error, but they went on to beat FaZe 2:1, BIG 2:1, fnatic 2:0, and Luminosity 2:1 in succession.
The final against Nemiga became Astralis’ fifth straight victory after the opening setback. The team went through almost the most difficult possible path to the title and finished the tournament with a winning streak over several strong opponents.
A 1v4 ace for @StaehrCS on what might be the final map the tournament 🤯 https://t.co/nDPX23gIZB
— Stake Esports (@StakeEsports) October 4, 2026
Staehr became the main hero of the final
Staehr was the best player of the decisive series. He finished the match with a 66–49 K-D, 89.1 ADR, and a 1.41 rating, while on Nuke his rating reached 2.02. On Cache, the Dane also stood out with an ace clutch.
jabbi also had a strong final, posting a 1.37 rating and 97.3 ADR. He was especially impressive on Mirage, where his individual form helped Astralis immediately take control of the series.
NEO finally got the result
For NEO, this trophy became the first serious result after he took charge of Astralis in the summer. The coach noted that he had to adapt to a different culture and a new team, but gradual work began to bring results.
I had to wait a little for this reward. It’s a different culture here, different people, a different atmosphere. The guys work very hard, and we can see the progress. There are bad moments, but we keep working and remain a team. It feels good to finally lift a trophy.
Astralis returned to the top 10
The victory in Barcelona also significantly improved Astralis’ position in VRS. The team earned 127 points, brought its total to 1660, and climbed to tenth place in the ranking.
Nemiga, despite losing the final, also seriously improved their position. The team earned 92 points, reached 1541 points, and climbed to 15th place, so the tournament in Barcelona was also successful for the finalist.
Astralis’ long-awaited title
Stake Ranked Episode 4 became more than just another tournament with a $100,000 prize pool for Astralis. The team won a full-fledged LAN for the first time in many years, and did it after losing the very first match.
Five victories in a row, the title, a return to the top 10 of VRS, and Staehr’s strong individual performance made the tournament one of Astralis’ best in recent seasons. Now the main question is whether the team will be able to carry this result into the next big events.
