Esports World Cup 2026 Dota 2 Preview: Format, Roster, Day One Schedule
Tomorrow, July 7, the group stage matches of the 2026 Dota 2 Esports World Cup will begin. The tournament format, team rosters, prize pool distribution, and schedule for the first day of competition are detailed below.
Format
Twenty-four teams will participate in the competition. The group stage will take place from July 7 to 12: teams are divided into four groups of six, with each team playing every other team in its group; all matches in this stage are best-of-2. The team that finishes first in its group advances directly to the playoffs; teams finishing in 2nd through 4th place move on to the “survival” stage, while the remaining teams are eliminated from the tournament.
The “survival” stage will take place from July 14 to 15 in a single-elimination format within each group: the team that finished in 4th place will face the team that finished in 3rd place, and the winner of that matchup will play the team that finished in 2nd place. All matches in this stage will be best-of-three (bo3). Based on the results, one additional team from each group will advance to the playoffs, bringing the total number of teams in the playoffs to four.
The playoffs will take place from July 16 to 19 using a single-elimination format. All series, except for the grand final, will be played in a best-of-3 format, while the decisive match will be a best-of-5 series.
| Group A | Group B | Group C | Group D |
| BetBoom Team | Aurora Gaming | MOUZ | 1w Team |
| GamerLegion | L1GA TEAM | PARIVISION | IC x Insanity |
| Poor Rangers | Level UP | REKONIX | LGD Gaming |
| Rune Eaters | Nigma Galaxy | Team Nemesis | OG |
| Team Falcons | PlayTime | Team Spirit | Team Yandex |
| Xtreme Gaming | Team Liquid | Vici Gaming | Virtus.pro |
Team Rosters
1w Team
- Ivan “Pure” Moskalenko
- Bozhidar “bzm” Bogdanov
- Neta “33” Shapiro
- Matthew “Ari” Walker
- Matthew “Whitemon” Filimon
- David “MoonMeander” Tan (coach)
PARIVISION
- Alan “Satanic” Galliamov
- Vladimir “No[o]ne” Minenko
- Valery “SSS” Lazarev
- Edgar “9Class” Naltakyan
- Andrey “Dukalis” Kuropatkin
- Klement “Puppey” Ivanov (coach)
- Tobias “Tobi” Büchner (substitute)
Team Spirit
- Ilya “Yatoro” Mulyarchuk
- Denis “Larl” Sigitov
- Magomed “Collapse” Khalilov
- Alexander “rue” Filin
- Alexey “not me” Kosmyinin
- Yaroslav “Miposhka” Naidenov (coach)
- Milan “MiLAN” Kozomara (coach)
Aurora Gaming
- Yegor “Nightfall” Grigorenko
- Rafli “Mikoto” Fathur Rahman
- Chung “Ws” Wei Shen
- Miroslav “Mira” Kolpakov
- Oleg “kaori” Medvedok
- Damien “kpii” Chok (coach)
Xtreme Gaming
- Wang “Ame” Chun-yu
- Zhuang “NothingToSay” Jinxiang
- Lin “Xxs” Jing
- Hu “fy” Linsen
- Ye “xNova” Jianwei
- Wai “Maps” Yutian (coach)
Team Yandex
- Alimzhan “watson” Islambekov
- Ilya “CHIRA_JUNIOR” Chirtsov
- Dmitry “DM” Dorokhin
- Martin “Saksa” Sazdov
- Arman “Malady” Orazbaev
- Alexander “Accell” Litvinenko (coach)
Team Falcons
- Oliver “skiter” Lepko
- Stanislav “Malr1ne” Potorak
- Ammar “ATF” al-Assaf
- Andreas “Cr1t-” Frank Nielsen
- Jingjun “Sneyking” Wu
- Curtis Daniel “Aui_2000” Ling (coach)
Team Liquid
- Mike “miCKe” Wu
- Michal “Nisha” Jankowski
- Marcus “Ace” Hölgard
- Samuel “Boxi” Svan
- Eric “tOfu” Engel
- Matthijs “Jabbz” Frisel (coach)
BetBoom Team
- Ilya “Kiritych” Ulyanov
- Danil “gpk” Skutin
- Matvey “MieRo” Vasyunin
- Vitaly “Save-” Melnik
- Vladislav “Kataomi`” Semenov
- Anatoly “Boolk” Ivanov (coach)
MOUZ
- Remco “Crystallis” Arets
- Sayed Sumail “Suma1L” Hassan
- Miroslav “BOOM” Bichan
- Daniil “yamich” Lazebny
- Nikita “panto” Balaganin
- Daniel “ImmortalFaith” Moza (coach)
Rune Eaters
- Mikhail “Darklord^” Blinov
- Philip “Copy” Büler
- Abdimalik “Malik” Saylau
- Marcel “Ekki” Kholovienko
- Alim “Aik” Bespayev
- Andrey “Mag” Chipenko (coach)
Level UP
- Nikolay “WoE” Ruban
- Alexey “Ainkrad” Diveevsky
- Nikolai “bb3px” Evdokimichev
- Alexander “queezy” Lipin
- Andrey “Htrd” Fedorov
- Sergey “sbdush” Fatullaev (coach)
- corpse (assistant coach)
PlayTime
- Maximo “Wits” Orosco Als
- Oswaldo Gonzalo “DarkMago” Herrera Martínez
- Frank “Frank” Arias
- Elvis Joel “Scofield” de la Cruz Peña
- Yelstyn Brian “Elmisho” Verde Hurtado
- Juan David “Vintage” Angulo Nicho (coach)
OG
- John Anthony “Natsumi” Vargas
- Erin Jasper “Yopaj-” Ferrer
- Alexander “TORONTOTOKYO” Hertek (on loan from Aurora Gaming)
- Timothy “TIMS” Randrup
- Rolen Andrei Gabriel “skem” Ong
- Adam “343” Shah (coach)
Virtus.pro
- Enzo “Timado” Giannoli
- Abed “Abed” Yusup
- Jonas “SabeRLight-” Wolek
- Kirill “Hellscream” Lagutik
- Tal “Fly” Aizik
- Sam “BuLba” Sousail (coach)
LGD Gaming
- Yuma “Yuma” Langle
- Santiago Gustavo “TaiLung” Olivos Agüero
- Adrian “Wisper” Cespedes Dobles
- Tiago “Thiolicor” de Oliveira Cordeiro
- Mateusz “KJ” Jungles Diniz
- Igor “kaffs” Furtado (coach)
Poor Rangers
- Aibek “TA2000” Tokayev
- Nikita “Nicky`Cool” Ostakhov
- Albert “alberkaaa” Chernoivanov
- Alexander “Immersion” Khmelevskoy
- Ilya “Hduo” Deriglazov
- Alexey “j4” Lipay (coach)
L1GA TEAM
- Ilya “ssnovv1” Kondrashov
- Mirac “Mirage`” Mutanov
- Ivan “Vazya” German
- Bakyt “Zayac” Emilzhanov
- Yegor “RESPECT” Prokurat
- Alexey “TheChosenOne” Karanevich (coach)
IC x Insanity
- Bilguun “423” Altanginzh
- Igor “Stojkov” Stoykov
- Vladislav “laise” Lais
- Vladislav “Fernans” Kochetkov
- Tugstur “Se” Dashzevge
- Ivan “ArtStyle” Antonov (coach)
Vici Gaming
- Gao “shiro” Xuan’an
- Ge “Xm” Hongcheng
- Zhang “Bach” Zhuida
- Zhao “XinQ” Zixing
- Zhang “y`” Yiping
- Yao “Yao” Zhengzheng (coach)
REKONIX
- Mustafa “jikroy” Zikri Pamungas
- Muhammad “inYourdreaM” Rizki
- Saeful “Fbz” Ilham
- Abdalla “dalul” Putra Afemi
- Rizki “Varizh” Varizh
- Ivan “MinD_ContRoL” Borislavov Ivanov (coach)
- Daniil “casual” Khrestyanovsky (analyst)
GamerLegion
- Chan “Ghost” Kok Hong
- Francis “RCY” Fundemera
- Viktor “Fayde” Zuev
- Danil “Bignum” Shekhovtsov
- Paul “Speeed” Boccicchio
- Andrei-Vlad “Mangusu” Seteanu (coach)
Team Nemesis
- Vladislav “rubikon155” Gaideu
- João “4nalog” Giannini
- Anucha “Jabz” Jivarong
- Rodrigo “Lelis” Santos
- Luke “Yamsun” Won
- Filipe “Astini” Astini Ribeiro (coach)
Nigma Galaxy
- Said Samail “SumaiL” Hassan
- Artem “lorenof” Melnik
- Cédric “Davai” Dekmin
- Omar “OmaR” Mugrabi
- Maroon “GH” Merhey
- Kuro “KuroKy” Salehi Tahasomi (coach)
Prize Pool Distribution
The event will feature a prize pool of $2,000,000 and 3,550 Club Program points (EWC overall standings).
- 1st place — $750,000 and 1,000 Club Program points;
- 2nd place — $340,000 and 750 Club Program points;
- 3rd place — $200,000 and 500 Club Program points;
- 4th place — $120,000 and 300 Club Program points;
- 5th–8th place — $70,000 and 200 Club Program points;
- 9th–12th place — $40,000;
- 13th–16th place — $20,000;
- 17th–20th place — $10,000;
- 21st–24th place — $7,500.
The tournament MVP will receive a separate prize of $25,000.
Schedule for the first day of play
July 7, times are in Moscow time.
-
Group A:
- 12:00 — Team Falcons vs. BetBoom Team
- 12:00 p.m. — Poor Rangers vs. GamerLegion
- 12:00 p.m. — Rune Eaters vs. Xtreme Gaming
-
Group B:
- 2:30 PM — Team Liquid vs. PlayTime
- 2:30 PM — L1GA TEAM vs Nigma Galaxy
- 2:30 PM — LevelUP vs. Aurora Gaming
-
Group C:
- 5:00 p.m. — Team Spirit vs. MOUZ
- 5:00 PM — REKONIX vs Vici Gaming
- 5:00 PM — Team Nemesis vs. PARIVISION
-
Group D:
- 7:30 p.m. — Team Yandex vs. OG
- 7:30 p.m. — LGD Gaming vs Virtus.pro
- 7:30 PM — IC x Insanity vs 1win Team
English-language broadcast studio
-
On-stage hosts:
- Ghassan “Milosh” Findj;
- Jake “SirActionSlacks” Kanner.
-
Studio hosts:
- Yorin “Sheever” van der Heijden;
- Evan “Raynday” Rayner.
-
Analysts:
- Mira “Ephey” Riad;
- Brian “BSJ” Canavan;
- Dominik “Lacoste” Stipić;
- Sebastian “Ceb” Debs.
-
Commentators:
- Avery “SVG” Silverman;
- Shannon “SUNSfan” Scott;
- Maurice “KheZu” Gutmann;
- Austin “Cap” Walsh.
-
Reporter:
- Kevin “Purge” Godek.
-
Commentators:
- Mike “MLPDotA” Le Phoenix;
- Ricky “rkryptic” Peterson;
- John “johnxfire” Nathan Fernandez;
- Zachary “ZQuixotix” Eng.
- Dylan “malibujesus” Elder;
- Ahmed “Otomo” al-Azawi;
- Mike “permasneeze” Tsang;
- Chang “WinteR” Litt Binn.
Russian-language commentary team
- Arseny “ArsZeeqq” Usov;
- Vladimir “PGG” Anosov;
- Nikolai “whotherolly” Razuev;
- Timur “Ahilles” Kulmukhambetov;
- Maksim “Shachlo” Abramovskikh;
- Ilya “Leamare” Silakov;
- Daria “Autodestruction” Medvedeva;
- Vladislav “BLACKARXANGEL” Ivashchenko;
- Sergey “G” Bragin;
- Dmitry “Inmate” Filinov;
- Artem “Fng” Barshak;
- Nikita “Sheyl” Demeshov;
- Mikhail “Misha” Agatov;
- Ksenia “Neksyusha” Aleksandrova;
- Stanislav “633” Glushan;
- Dmitry “Fishman” Polishchuk;
- Vladislav “PIVOVAR” Pivovar;
- Vladimir “gexsun” Petryaev;
- Anton “Grayne” Afanasenko;
- Andrey “b31kaa” Balakirev;
- Vladimir “Double D” Vylezhanyn;
- Oleg “LastHero” Demidovich;
- Dmitry “Mortalles” Arzhilovsky;
- Danila “StreamRoSS” Vanyukov;
- Rustam “Adekvat” Mavlyutov;
- Ivan “WYHM” Sheshin;
- Vasilisa “Vasilisa” Chernova;
- Artem “Artem1da” Kozhevnikov;
- Vladimir “RodjER” Nikoghosyan.
Where to Watch the Esports World Cup 2026
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Broadcast in English:
- YouTube: Esports World Cup.
- Broadcast in Russian:
Photo — EWC Foundation.
