Team Spirit, PARIVISION, and Other Teams at The International 2026 — Highlights from the Not For Broadcast Podcast #76

Commentators Avery “SVG” Silverman and Austin “Cap” Walsh discussed the performances of Team Spirit and PARIVISION (TEAM VISION), as well as other participants in The International 2026, the rivalry between the “Dragons” and OG, and strategies for the tournament of the year. Highlights from the 76th episode of the Not For Broadcast podcast are in our article.

Cap noted that, in his opinion, Team Spirit’s form in the group stage wasn’t strong enough to win The International, but the team looked completely different in the playoffs. In the second game against PARIVISION, he witnessed a performance that made him change his mind and acknowledge that these “Dragons” could become champions. SVG attributed this to a distinctive trait of the team: when under pressure, they prove to be stronger than the rest, and once Spirit gets going, there’s no stopping them.

Avery cited Miposhka as a major factor in the victory. In his opinion, without Yaroslav, the team wouldn’t have even made it into the top 6. He changed the way supports play and improved the drafts. SVG credits him the most: while he was out of the roster, Spirit didn’t win any tournaments, but with his return, they claimed their third The International. He described the coach as an outstanding leader with a brilliant understanding of the game and the ability to remain calm under pressure—qualities the team had been lacking.

SVG compared Spirit to PARIVISION. In his words, the “dragons” are a team of brothers who have been through a lot together, sharing a common energy and the experience of winning The International. PARIVISION, on the other hand, is, in his view, an artificially assembled team: Puppey was brought into the roster and had to build chemistry in a short period of time, which is very difficult. That said, Avery acknowledges Clement’s progress in this regard, but he hasn’t managed to reach Spirit’s level when they’re at their best.

Despite this, SVG considers PARIVISION the best team of the last TI, and it should have won. “It’s just that Spirit is a team of skill gods, and if you don’t outplay them on the macro level and in the draft, you won’t be able to outplay them mechanically,” Silverman explained.

In addition, the commentator disagreed with the hero picks for the first map of the Grand Final. In his opinion, the unconventional strategy should have been saved for a moment when there was no other way to win. By mishandling the idea of using unconventional heroes for Satanic and No[o]ne-, the team may have lost its chance to win the series.

According to SVG, this season will be the toughest for PVISION—the team is nearing the end of a multi-year cycle during which teams can typically remain contenders for the Aegis. That said, Avery believes the club should keep its roster intact.

SVG cited Ceb’s remarks that the topic is closed following Team Spirit’s third victory at The International. Prior to that, OG and the “Dragons” remained contenders: the Western European club as a two-time champion, having won twice in a row, and Spirit, which also held two Aegids but won its second title after a hiatus. SVG also noted that the Eastern European club managed to achieve this with different players. As for OG, Avery praised its lead over its peers in terms of skill level and the significant contribution it has made to the development of Dota 2 through its strategies and the exploration of uncharted elements.

Cap praised Team Spirit for successfully countering teams that relied on a measured, methodical style of play, which tended to drag out matches. SVG explained that this is not easy to do, as it requires a high level of skill and experience. He recalled asking those present at TI why no one was countering greed with pushes—for example, using auras—but was told that it didn’t work. According to Avery, players get too fixated on the meta and start believing that other approaches don’t stand a chance, whereas Spirit is the kind of team that possesses the confidence needed to try new things, even if they don’t work the first time.

Cap stated that this was the worst TI of Nisha’s entire career, and SVG agreed with that assessment. In most of Team Liquid’s successful matches, the victories were thanks to miCKe or Ace, according to Silverman. He suggested that the issue might be the meta, which doesn’t suit the mid laner.

In addition, Avery expressed confusion about the performance of players who had already decided to retire. “All you can think about is retiring or taking a break. You just want to be on the other side as soon as possible, rather than thinking about what’s happening right here and now,” he said. At the same time, he believes that viewers don’t realize the void that results from this, since there are no replacements for the departing players. He suggested that esports players from Eastern Europe will take their places on the scene.

SVG highlighted Nigma Galaxy’s performance at the recent TI but pointed out the accumulated problems: SumaiL should leave the team for the benefit of both sides; KuroKy has outdated ideas about drafts and meta play; and the support duo has been inconsistent.

According to Cap, BetBoom Team (BoomBoys) could have reached third place or even made it to the grand final if their bracket opponents had been more suitable. Austin praised the team’s consistency compared to competitors who are capable of both soaring to great heights and falling to new lows.

The International 2026 took place in Shanghai from August 13 to 23. The total prize pool for the season’s main tournament stood at $3.9 million. Following the championship, Team Spirit became the first team in history to win three Aegis trophies.

Photo: Valve.