Top Dota 2 news for the week: TI 2026 group stage, Vici disband and transfer rumors

The editors have collected the main news of the past week. A digest of events from the Dota 2 world for the period from August 10 to 16 is in our material.

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News of the week:

• Xiao8: “Leaving the team was my personal desire - we didn’t quarrel, and no one kicked me out”
• The organizers of The International 2026 pasted the sponsor's logo on the 1win Team uniform
• Team Falcons received championship rings for winning The International 2025
• 1win Team won a map in which they were behind by 42 thousand gold - this is a record for all TI. Last day lasted
• A file has been added to Dota 2 mentioning 3572 professional players, including their prize money
• Vici Gaming disbanded its roster immediately after elimination from The International 2026
• The International 2026 prize pool exceeded $3,000,000
• For the first time in the history of The International, not a single player from China made it to the playoffs
• Collapse may leave Team Spirit, and Save may leave BB Team - rumors from Alagon
• Cr1t-: “We understand that this will most likely be the last tournament for our roster”

Our materials:

• Topson is heading to TI 2026! Who does he play?
• Topson in LGD Gaming, 10 teams from Europe and 3 representatives from China - statistical review of The International 2026
• No[o]ne can raise Aegis! And it's exciting
• Dota took over Shanghai - how the city was decorated for The International 2026
• Team Spirit has once again sculpted a top player: not me in crazy shape!
• “This is the only tournament in my career after which it was so hard” - DM’s journey through the prism of The International
• “Now, of course, in any case, the focus is on winning” - an interview with Miposhka about TI 2026 and returning to Team Spirit
• “I don’t think we have reached tier-1 level” - interview with TheChosenOne about L1GA TEAM and coaching in Dota 2

We played the group stage of The International 2026 in four days. Exactly half of the teams remained in the tournament. There were some sensations - Nigma Galaxy, which had been stalling even in online tournaments, made it to the playoffs, and ahead of schedule. During a couple of days break, you can discuss the results of forecasts and fantasy, put them up for the playoffs and try out the early Inta meta in the public. Write your win rate for carry Io in this patch in the comments.

It's nice to see The International prize money above $3,000,000 again. The previous two years we were deprived of such a privilege. In the meantime, the issue went from SMM to site editor, another 16 thousand came from sales. The total is already $3,098,719 at the time of registration of the news.

The International in Shanghai was supposed to give a new boost to the local Dota scene, but instead it seems to have put the final nail in the coffin. It is unlikely that interest in the discipline will rise in China after the failure - for the first time, not a single representative of the country will be in the TI playoffs.

After TI, the season of transitions, disbands, transfers and gatherings of new rosters always begins. Even at the start of The International 2026, the first specifics appeared. Cr1t- hinted that this TI could be the last tournament for Team Falcons with the current lineup.

In addition to specifics, there are also rumors. Alagon has heard that Team Falcons will have a superstar roster, and Collapse and Save- may leave their teams if they perform poorly at The International 2026.

It seemed that the ban of TaiLung would overshadow the Dota holiday, but “Father” came to help. Topson, with his charisma, unique style and high skill for a pensioner, gave the tournament a separate story that, it seems, everyone liked. It's a pity that it ended before the main stage.

Vici Gaming management announced the disbandment of the roster immediately after the defeat in the elimination match at The International 2026. We understand that this disband is far from the last. It’s just that other organizations are taking a polite pause so as not to distract the news from the main event of the year.

After the first day of The International 2026, we conducted a survey about how you liked the start of the tournament. I would like to know if the opinion of the 5% of dissatisfied people changed following the results of the entire group stage?