StrangeR on the practice rooms at the 2026 Esports World Cup: “It’s very unusual to see something like this in 2026.”
L1GA TEAM’s sports director, Alexander “StrangeR” Solomonov, shared his impressions of the second day at the Esports World Cup 2026 on his personal Telegram channel, discussing the training conditions, the tournament’s organization, and the work of the organizers.
The quote is reproduced with the source’s spelling and punctuation intact
The hotel where we’re staying is definitely nice, as is the breakfast there. It’s a shame the practice facilities aren’t there.
The trip from the hotel to the arena takes about 20–30 minutes during the day due to Paris traffic and 10 minutes in the evening.
Let’s start with the most painful part—the practice sessions.
Of course, it’s very unusual to see this in 2026, especially for the players. Essentially, the hangar has been divided into practice areas by thin partitions.
Obvious problems include
:it’s noisy
; the
Wi-Fi doesn’t work; lighting is hit or miss
; the temperature isn’t stable
; your belongings might
get damaged; and there are issues with the computers.
On the plus side
:- It’s not stuffy
- The tables are height-adjustable
- The chairs are comfortable
- There’s internet
- There’s a large TV connected to the coach’s computer
I think the players won’t forgive the organizers for this, and the tournament’s ratings won’t be great.
The players’ lounge and catering area, as well as the food itself, helped make up for the practice session’s shortcomings.
There’s plenty of space, the tables are large, the whole team can sit together, and the food is varied. Definitely a thumbs-up.
One challenge is that lunch and dinner are time-limited and may overlap with match times.
Media Day started a little late; nothing interesting happened. Then we played some basketball, missed the last bus back to the hotel, and took a private one.
I can say that the organizers are trying their best; not everything is working out yet, but I thought it would be worse.
The real test for them will be the opening ceremony and the first matches. Stay tuned—it’s coming soon.
Earlier, Alexander talked about his career hiatus, changes in the economics of the professional Dota 2 scene, the significance of The International, working with players, team discipline, and the prospects for young esports athletes.
Photo: Alexander “StrangeR” Solomonov.
