Esports World Cup 2026

My take

Small finals, or the battle for the third place. To me, Yandex deserved to be in the grand finals. As I said, the second best team in the EWC is clearly Yandex. Vici has this issue where they can't figure out what to do after minute 15. Yandex will punish that, and Vici can't really turn around the teams' fights.

✓ Aftermath

I think Team Yandex came really upset after that loss to PARIVISION, and they just dragged Vici through the mud. Chira_Junior on the Earthshaker won the map in 18 minutes; there was no point to play further for Vici, and they called GG.

My take

Here we go: grand finals of the EWC. We have PARIVISION against the BetBoom team. To me, PV is more explosive and doesn't yield under pressure. BB is fast, but they will need to go against the fastest team in the EWC (PV). If it goes to the late game, I would also favor PV because they are more greedy than BB. In the end, the winner of the EWC most likely is PARIVISION.

✓ Aftermath

Congratulations to PARIVISION; they are your EWC 2026 Champions. Satanic, Noone, Noticed, 9Class, and Dukalis were impeccable the whole tournament. After that map one, which BetBoom won, I was starting to be worried, but no, they stomped BB in the next 3 maps. This team might be the scariest team to face in the playoffs. GG and good luck at The International.

My take

Banger of a match! But I can't go against BetBoom in this match. They haven't lost a single match YET in the EWC. It will be really hard for Vici, because guess what? Now XM can't do his Hail Mary picks for mid, because Gpk will MAUL him in the first 10 minutes of the game.

✓ Aftermath

Yep. BetBoom did exactly what I said. They won every lane, and Gpk stressed out Xm on mid. It's really hard to play against BetBoom if you are not a good laner. And I really like MieRo's build on Largo with this Meteor Hammer. It gives you a massive advantage in farming and damage, yet it's pretty cheap.

My take

This should've been the grand finals in my eyes. Whoever wins this match wins the EWC (you've heard it here first). We have the most skilled team in terms of farm and map control (PV) vs a team that is extremely efficient in early skirmishes. I know you think that Yandex is unbeatable right now, but I'm going with PARIVISION to win against Team Yandex. If the game goes above 40 minutes, PV is way more scary than Yandex in late games.

✓ Aftermath

What a dogfight. And I TOLD YOU that PV had this in the bag. I understand that Yandex is extremely disciplined and good in skirmishes. But, when it comes to farming in the late game, Satanic just outshines anyone. To me, Noticed was the MVP on his axe; he nullified watson on PL from minute 8.

My take

Vici Gaming's luck ends here. They will need to go against arguably the most suffocating team in the EWC (and not only). Falcons are way stronger than 1Win (which Vici beat yesterday) in team fights. They will not feed from minute 2 and will push them to the base in 40 minutes. Going with Falcons to win.

✗ Aftermath

Wow… Just wow, Vici Gaming just sent Falcons packing. What the hell was that? Who even picks a Slark mid? That was the most bizarre pick from Vici, and they made it work. The man of the hour is clearly Xm.

My take

Ulallala, man, such a disaster for the quarterfinals for Spirit. The worst match-up possible for them. Yandex is the team that punishes greedy Dota. And guess who plays really greedy? I will give the edge to Team Yandex because they are the counter to Team Spirit.

✓ Aftermath

Yeah, it looks like Team Spirit has a ton of issues against Team Yandex. And I am not talking about this match. Somehow, this early aggression and push from team Yandex put Spirit on the back foot, and they couldn't match the pace. Maybe because watson and Malady always maul Collapse and not me in the hard lane?

My take

Oh my God… 2 of my favorite teams are going to fight each other. But, sentiments aside, I believe that NIGMA doesn't have the tools to deal with BetBoom's farming machine. The reason why Nigma was so successful until now was because Lorenof was kind of the position 1. GPK will nullify this, and BB is going to win the match.

✓ Aftermath

I told you. Nightmare matchup for Nigma. BetBoom is really hard to beat if you are not outfarming them and not winning lanes. One thing that is interesting, is that NIGMA picked an Invoker carry for Suma1L :)))

My take

I've been burned by Rune Eaters, but they just can't beat PARIVISION. Here is the deal: there is no secret to anyone that PV will end up in the grand finals. They are the best in early and late-game executions. Maybe RE had some luck before this match, but here their luck will end.

✓ Aftermath

Yup, the Cinderella story is over for Rune Eaters. PV looked absolutely incredible. What can you do against Satanic Nature's Prophet? He had a 22-1-8 KDA. It's insane how skilled this kid is. It's safe to say that we can compare his skills to Miracle in his prime.

My take

Update: DarkMago and Vintage are removed from the PlayTime roster (322 accusations). So, I can't go with PlayTime anymore, because they will play with a stand-in. Such a sad day, I swear to God. I believe that the mental pressure because of all these shenanigans is just too much for PlayTime, going with Vici to win.

✓ Aftermath

OMG… PlayTime was disqualified because of the DarkMago/Vintage 322 suspicions. I can't believe that.

My take

So we expect another dogfight? Because Team Spirit is also a team that plays late-game scenarios in Dota. But we can see that Liquid is struggling when it comes to lanes; they lost in all 3 games early and mid-game against Xtreme, which means that Spirit will clearly win that as well. The difference between Spirit and Xtreme is that Spirit is WAY MORE disciplined.

✓ Aftermath

Liquid is out of the EWC. But they went toe-to-toe with Spirit in my eyes. They could've won map 3 as well, but Yatoro was just too farmed; you can't do anything to a 6-slotted Gyrocopter in minute 35. To me, Spirit won just because they outfarmed Liquid 3 to 1.

My take

The fairytale story is kind of over for Rune Eaters because now they are going against a team that is simply the best in 5-man Dota. Aurora Gaming is one of the favorites for the EWC trophy. Aurora will suffocate Rune Eaters and most likely will win 2-0 against them.

✗ Aftermath

HAHAHHAHAHA, wow…. Aurora Gaming is going home. Guys, needless to say, Aurora was one of the favorites for the EWC. Fantastic display of nerve from Darklord; he outframed Nightfall. But the man of the day is aik on his goddamn Lich!

My take

What a roller coaster in the last 2 hours. PlayTime was disqualified (322 suspicions), and now Vici will need to play against 1Win. As for the match, I believe 1Win is way more prepared in a BO3 against a team that is reckless in team fights. So, it's safe to say that 1Win will maul Vici in mid-game.

✗ Aftermath

I don't know what to say…it's unbelievable that 1Win lost to Vici. They had THE MOST questionable draft in the tournament. How come you pick your midlaner (BZM is a greedy core), a Mirana, on mid? From all heroes, Mirana?

My take

Such a hard match for LGD. Actually, they are really unlucky with the seeding. Now, they need to fight against arguably the strongest team in EWC when it comes to team fights. BetBoom will win because Gpk will nullify TaiLung in mid, and LGD can't snowball like they usually do. Going with BB to win.

✓ Aftermath

It's hard to beat these guys. Man, they farm a lot. And I mean, A LOT. Gpk played Lina mid like Watson is playing on a safe lane, with no Aghanim's Scepter and BS. He went straight to Hurricane Pike, Black King Bar, and Satanic. Needless to say, he was 18-0 against that fast-paced draft from LGD.

My take

MOUZ threw a 20k lead against Vici—I can't trust them in a best-of-3 where the pressure is win or go home. LGD is clean and disciplined; TaiLung outfarms anyone, and their only real weakness (high ground) doesn't matter against a team that throws its own leads. I'm going with LGD.

✓ Aftermath

This has got to be the most YOLO game in the EWC. They had 2 kills per MINUTE. Yuma on his Lone Druid gives me some Alliance vibes (if you know what I mean). Rat dota is back. MOUZ is out of the EWC.

My take

Nisha is on FIRE right now—14-0 Ember against Aurora, are you kidding me? Xtreme wants to farm and pray with Ame, and Liquid is the exact team that punishes passive Dota—they play fast, they fight, and they never let you reach your late-game fantasy. NothingToSay is too passive to keep up in the middle. I'm going with Liquid. 2-1 to win.

✓ Aftermath

Such a stressful match… Why does Team Liquid ALWAYS end in these dogfights? Every single BO4, they need to go over 90 minutes without 2 lanes and try to hold the high ground. The MVP of the match and the guy who won the game for Liquid is clearly tOfu on his Mirana.

My take

Man, I hate picking VP. But here's the thing—Rune Eaters play slow, farm-heavy, late-game Dota, and that's EXACTLY the game where Timado's farm (BKB or not) takes over. Rune Eaters is a great story, but a BO3 against tier 1 experience is a different animal. I'm going with VP.

✗ Aftermath

That's just sad… I am happy for Copy, of course, but the way VP played this BO3 is unbelievable. Imagine that VP will not play at The International as well. And Rune Eaters were just a CIS mix, and now they are knocking out the VP of the EWC.

My take

THE match everyone's been waiting for. Spirit is back on the horse—Yatoro found his king aura against Vici, and Larl on Lina is cooking. But boys, PARIVISION is the big bad bully of the EWC. 6-0. Nobody outfarms Satanic right now, and I don't see Spirit breaking that. I'm going with PARIVISION.

✗ Aftermath

You can never doubt the Yatoro factor… He picked Morphling as a carry and won map 1. But that was not the problem; the problem was that PV had this Largo mid (which is useless in their playstyle). That's why they couldn't make any serious moves.

My take

MOUZ have been the surprise of group C. The ONLY thing that scares me is the throw factor—nobody, and I mean NOBODY, throws more than MOUZ. But Vici takes bad fights the second they get a lead. I'm going with MOUZ. But if they lose a 20k lead again, don't blame me.

✗ Aftermath

HAHAHHAHAH, is this a joke? How the hell can you throw like this? I knew it, I swear to God. Where is that MOUZ that played against Team Spirit? Not only that, but they also lost a Battle Fury carry Faceless Void from shiro…

My take

Two teams are packing their bags already. This is a battle for pride, nothing else. Both are winless, but Nemesis at least has Astini pulling the strings, and that SA magic showed up in the qualifiers. REKONIX just doesn't know what to do with a lead—we've seen it all in the tournament. But, as long as REKONIX ALWAYS beats Nemesis I'm going with them.

✓ Aftermath

Both teams are out of the EWC. Many mistakes from both parties, but I believe that they need more experience. In my humble opinion, REKONIX is really good; even with that Lone Druid from Jikroy, they managed to "rat" Nemesis out.

My take

1win is 5-0 but BARELY winning — outfarming teams in the last 8 minutes instead of dominating. Against Yandex's clean 5-man execution, that doesn't fly. Based on my model and everything I saw, this will end up in a draw unless 33 pulls some miracle.

✗ Aftermath

Ahh, so close. Map 2 was ALMOST in their bag. watson stole the show AGAIN on his Phantom Lancer. It is an honor to watch and analyze Team Yandex games.

My take

Man, this one is tricky. OG farms a lot and holds the high ground. VP is VP—they can look like a tier 1 team one map and a pub stack the next. Both these teams throw and both can win a map. I'm going with a draw.

✗ Aftermath

That's embarrassing… Actually, my model said that it will be a 2-0 (for OG), and I knew that they are afraid to engage in fights, but I didn't think that they are SOOOO afraid. You can't have this mentality to farm and "hope" that VP will make a mistake. I can't believe that OG is out of the EWC; I'm actually sad because they are a good team.

My take

IC is going home, simple as that. LGD smoked OG 2-0, and even if they have that never-ending need to fight, IC can't punish it. TaiLung will outfarm whatever they put in the mid. I'm going with LGD. 2-0.

✓ Aftermath

Not only did LGD win without breaking a sweat. After the match, TaiLung played against Abed from Virtus. Pro (1v1), for the third place. And TaiLung won the match.

My take

TI2025 finals rematch, boys. But this isn't the same Xtreme—they're lost, Ame is still doing Ame things, and Falcons are the KINGS of the late-game slugfest. If you want to farm and pray against Falcons, good luck. I'm going with Falcons.

✓ Aftermath

I know a lot of people here just like to flame Xtreme. But man, they play well, but somehow they can't take advantage of the farm that they have. Yeah, they are always going to late-game, but I feel like NothingToSay is extremely passive as a midlaner. Maybe that's the problem?

My take

Same GL problem I've been screaming about for 5 tournaments now — they get the lead and don't know what to do with it. And BetBoom is the LAST team you want to stall against; they'll just take one fight and push your throne. I'm going with BetBoom. 2-0.

✓ Aftermath

Just give Gpk the trophy. How the hell can you be 15-0 on Slardar? As for GamerLegion? I don't have any words; they are going home after the group stage, AGAIN. They are such an incredible team, and somehow they are losing the unlosable games.

My take

Both these teams love to farm, but let's be real—Rune Eaters are the better story here. Darklord is a beast; Copy won mid against Malr1ne, and they stole maps off BetBoom AND Xtreme. Poor Rangers only look scary when TA2000 gets his conditions. I'm going with Rune Eaters.

✓ Aftermath

Rune Eaters take the 3rd slot in the group stage, and GamerLegion are out. I didn't have this on my bingo card. Also, props to Malik; this dude is a really good offlaner. And I'm not talking about his game on Snapfire (which is somewhat OP).

My take

This one decides the group seeding. Liquid plays that fast, chaotic Dota, and Nisha is Nisha—but Aurora's 5-man is just on a different planet right now, and Mikoto will NOT let Nisha snowball like he usually does. If it goes late, they choke Liquid out. I'm going with Aurora.

✗ Aftermath

I didn't take into consideration the Nisha factor. God damn it. He was running godlike from minute 11 on his ember spirit. I thought Mikoto would shut him down, but no, he was 14-0 on his Ember.

My take

Match of the day right here. Nigma looks INSANE with the new squad — they 2-0'd Liquid. But here's the thing you don't know: Nigma has NEVER beaten PlayTime in a series (0 maps in the last 3 tournaments, look it up). New roster or not, that curse is real. I'm going with a draw.

✗ Aftermath

Wow… Game 1 between Nigma and PlayTime is a must-watch. Can you imagine that they won with a 40k gold deficit? Where are you now, Suma1L haters? Nigma is top 1 of the group!!

My take

It's official — Level UP can't win a single game against real teams. Liquid almost pushed them out in 18 minutes. This is the safest pick of the day. I'm going with L1GA. 2-0.

✗ Aftermath

Unbelievable…L1GA just lost 2-0 against a team that couldn't take a map out of anyone in the group stage. And guess what? They are going home…. I hyped them sooo much, and for what?

My take

This is the match that decides the group lead. Xtreme is lost — Ame is still doing Ame things (that Windranger, that Morphling). BetBoom punishes exactly this kind of passive, farm-and-pray Dota. Save will be everywhere, and Gpk will cook the mid. I'm going with BetBoom.

✓ Aftermath

I like that BetBoom is really creative. They were playing on the backfoot half of the game, and then Bloodseeker took over the map. Masterful display of confidence.

My take

Falcons are the KINGS of the late-game slugfest, and if you want to play the farming game against them, good luck. This is exactly their patch. I'm going with Falcons. 2-0.

✓ Aftermath

Well, poor Rangers are going home. It's hard to keep up with Falcons. TA2000 had a small spark, but you can't win only on certain conditions; you always need to perform well.

My take

I've stopped underestimating Rune Eaters. Darklord is a beast, and they farm and scale into the late game like nobody expected. But here's the catch—GamerLegion has the SAME problem I've been screaming about for 4 tournaments: they can't take the high ground. If Rune Eaters drag it late, GL will choke it away. If GL snowballs early, they take one. I'm going with a draw here.

✓ Aftermath

RCY has the widest pool of heroes in midlane. This dude played on Largo mid and was godlike.

My take

The big bad bully against the fast boys. PlayTime plays 10x more aggressively than anyone, and DarkMago is a problem—but Aurora's 5-man Dota is just on a different planet right now. If it goes late, Nightfall ends it. I'm going with Aurora, but PlayTime will make map 1 a bloodbath.

✓ Aftermath

Mikoto is carrying Aurora in the EWC. This dude is a monster, some Miracle- from Indonesia.

My take

I got burned underestimating L1GA once already—these dudes qualified for TI 2026; they are NOT a yolo stack. But Liquid, even a shaky Liquid, plays that fast Dota that can break L1GA's tempo. I'm going with a draw.

✗ Aftermath

Weird…. So, they could steal a map from PlayTime but played on the backfoot in both series against Liquid? Not only this, but L1GA was soooooo afraid of Liquid that they didn't make ANY move on the map.

My take

It's official, from my POV, Level UP can't win a single game against tier 1 teams. Yesterday Liquid almost pushed them out in 18 minutes. So, it's the safest prediction in this tournament.

✓ Aftermath

Wow… Am I dreaming? Nigma will fight Aurora for the first slot in group B?

My take

Here's the real match of the day. PARIVISION is the big bad bully of the EWC — 4-0, dismantling everyone. But MOUZ is NOT the tier 2 stack from a month ago; MidOne is farming, they're playing structured, and they drew Spirit. This is the toughest test PV has had. Still, nobody outfarms Satanic right now. I'm going with PARIVISION.

✓ Aftermath

I keep saying it over and over again: this PV squad is scary. Imagine that they won against MOUZ, who are extremely aggressive in early skirmishes. Guess what? MOUZ lost in 20 minutes.

My take

Both are basically out, but Vici is just cleaner — they smashed REKONIX 2-0. Nemesis had their miracle in the SA qualifiers, but that magic runs out against a disciplined team. I'm going with Vici Gaming

✓ Aftermath

XinQ is insane; he had a Divine Rapier on the Zeus. He had the biggest damage dealer in the game. How can you even do that? Ona, position 4, Zeus?

My take

REKONIX is winless and heading home; let's be real. Spirit found their footing against Nemesis, and this is the confidence boost they need. I don't see REKONIX stealing anything here. I'm going with Spirit. 2-0.

✓ Aftermath

Spirit is back, boys. I like that they are picking Bane for Rue since he was a beat in his Yellow Submarine days on this hero.

My take

LGD is dangerous—they smoked OG 2-0—but they have that never-ending need to fight non-stop, and Yandex punishes exactly that. Clean 5-man execution beats chaos. I'm going with a Yandex. Because LGD can steal one if TaiLung gets rolling, as they did in the BLAST SLAM Finals.

✓ Aftermath

Wow…. I thought it would be more of a fight, but it was a methodical dismembering. Somehow, Yandex is always 2 steps ahead of LGD. Not to mention this Chira_Junior Invoker. I don't get it. Why are people not banning it?

My take

1win is 4-0, but they've been BARELY winning — outfarming teams in the last 8 minutes rather than dominating. OG is greedy, farms a lot, and holds the high ground (which is exactly what troubles the ex-Tundra boys). This looks like a split to me. I'm going with a draw.

✓ Aftermath

Told you :) Yopaj on his Leshrac carried OG to a win. Also, it's insane that a Drow Ranger can dismantle Spectre in the late game; Dota shouldn't work like this imho.

My take

Two teams I don't trust with my life. But I'm still picking VP to win this match, just based on the farming patterns and the fact they have 20x more experience in the tier 1 skirmishes.

✓ Aftermath

With this win, VP is still in the game, and they have a chance to get out of the group stage. But still, why can't they play like this against tier 1 teams?

My take

I see the same issues for GamerLegion that I've seen for the last 4 tournaments. They just don't know what to do with the lead they have. If they couldn't breach the high ground against Xtreme, how can they do that to Falcons (who are the best in this niche)?

✓ Aftermath

Falcons are so suffocating that it's stressful to watch them, not necessary to play against them. GL had a small chance with the Drow Ranger on Ghost, but it's understandable how hard it is to match up to this kind of high ground pressure from Falcons.

My take

It would be interesting to see this match, because Poor Rangers are also farming a lot. But I'm going with Xtreme Gaming to win the match just because they are greedier and will hold the ground until they reach full items on Ame.

✗ Aftermath

Insane… The ONLY guy who picks Morphling in this meta is Ame. TA2000 was on autoclick on his Terrorblade because you can't do a thing to him on Morphling (because it is a dead hero in this meta).

My take

It's hard to go against BetBoom here. Yes, Copy can make a difference, but you can't beat BB if you're not an aggressive early snowballer, which Rune Eaters aren't.

✗ Aftermath

I knew Rune Eaters would steal some maps, and they did it with a Spectre carry. I told you before the tournament that this kid (Darklord) is a new generation of talent. Copy is also a beast; I lost my predictions, but I am really happy for Rune Eaters.

My take

Match of the days right here. Actually, my model favors NIGMA more than Liquid, but here is the catch. Liquid is playing fast, and if they catch SumaiL 2/3 times, I believe that they will take the momentum from NIGMA and be able to steal a map.

✗ Aftermath

Ohhh boy, man, is this even real? Since when has Nigma been so strong? They didn't let Liquid even win the early game. Insane performance by Suma1L; good job.

My take

Aurora is a better team in any department. Because they are always playing as 5, L1GA can scrap with them, but if it goes to late game, they can't beat them in team fights.

✓ Aftermath

Finally, I can see a new hero in Nightfall's pool. Maybe because he knew that Aurora would bully L1GA on the map, and that's why he picked a Spectre carry?

My take

PlayTime will dismantle Level Up in both maps. You need to understand that Liquid didn't let them any room to breathe, let alone imagine PlayTime, who are 10x more aggressive in early to mid-game.

✓ Aftermath

I told you that this will be a slugfest. PlayTime is like a lunatic running around with a chainsaw.

My take

I see the same issue on VG as I've seen in the beginning. They can't push the high ground. I don't know why they are playing fast, but when it comes to taking towers and racks, they make a ton of bad decisions. Based on this, they will need to fight a team that can stay on the high ground forever.

✓ Aftermath

Now we're talking! Yatoro is back on the horse, and he literally destroyed Vici. The problem with Vici is the same over and over again: they have the lead, they take stupid fights (like they are fighting without Shiro), and they are losing the game.

My take

MOUZ is insanely good. It looks like they changed the strategy where MidOne is the one to farm instead of Crystallis, and it's working. They will ragdoll Team Nemesis in both maps.

✗ Aftermath

Nobody, and I mean NOBODY, throws more than MOUZ. It's incredible how they are managing to lose skirmishes when they have a 20k gold lead.

My take

A hard match for REKONIX. But, a funny note on the side: REKONIX took a map from PV in the BLAST SLAM VII. It will not be a case here; PV is just on another level in terms of skill and execution.

✓ Aftermath

What can you do against the King? What? Satanic can pick Chen as a carry; he would win, I swear to god.

My take

LGD is a favorite here (if you can imagine). 1Win plays sloppily, and this will be their downfall. I believe they will split the maps.

✗ Aftermath

Goddamn Lycan from 33. LGD had the first map in the bag, but you just can't manfight this 6-slotted wolf.

My take

Nope, I can't trust VP anymore. Not after what I saw yesterday. They are undisciplined, and Timado just refuses to buy the GODDAMN BKB. Yandex will punish this recklessness.

✓ Aftermath

Is someone even surprised? Yandex won both maps in 20 minutes. We can clearly see that Timado is extremely tilted, and he just feeds a lot.

My take

You can hate OG as much as you want. But they are legit good. Yes, they may lose a map here and there, but they farm A LOT and can stay on the high ground. I don't think IC can do anything to Natsumi and the boys.

✓ Aftermath

Strong performance by OG, and now they are out of the conversation to go home after the group stage.

My take

It's a hard game to predict because GamerLegion stomped PR and Xtreme barely had a draw with Rune Eaters. BUT, Xtreme is more of a late-game assurance team, so I doubt GL can take them out in 35 minutes. Going with Xtreme

✓ Aftermath

unbelievable… I swear to God, GamerLegion are cursed with this high ground. What is the point of farming if you have such a lead? What was the point of giving Ame that Lone Druid 2 TIMES!! Did you think that Necrophos would outcarry the goddamn bear?

My take

That will be a quick 2-0 for BetBoom. They are the scariest team against a slightly slower team that can't win lanes. And how are you going to win the lanes against BB?

✓ Aftermath

Now you understand what experience means? BetBoom just won one team fight, and then they pushed the throne. Also, Lina is back on the menu?

My take

Falcons are just stronger in the late-game meta. After what I saw yesterday, it looks like Rune Eaters also like to play late-game. Based on this, it's safe to say that Falcons are clearly favorites to win this match without much headache.

✓ Aftermath

Yeah, Falcons won as I predicted. But man, Rune Eaters are no fluff at all. Darklord is a beast, and Copy won the mid against Malr1ne on his Puck.

My take

We have a match of the day right here. On the one hand we have the big bad bully (Aurora), and on the other hand we have Nigma, who looks absolutely amazing with the new squad. I am not YET sold on the NIGMA'S roster, so I will go with a draw.

✓ Aftermath

What a bloodbath, Jesus Christ. Man, this is why I love dota! Map 2 is a must watch for every Dota 2 fan. Nigma picked an extremely beefy/sustainable (Alchemist, Largo and Dazzle) lineup and started to manfight Aurora every 3 minutes.

My take

Hard match to predict, but I believe that PlayTime just plays too fast for L1GA to enter that late game. I will go with DarkMago and the boys to win the game.

✗ Aftermath

My mistake here. L1GA is an enigma to me. Either they look like a complete tier 1 team, or they lose in 30 minutes. It's worth to say that Scofield is the most dangerous Clockwerk in the pro scene. The way he stole the Roshan AFTER buyback is something to be studied.

My take

Even with the worst possible performance from Team Liquid, they still take this without any sweat.

✓ Aftermath

There is nothing to comment on here. There are levels to this game. I understand there is immense stress when you need to stay against Nisha on Ember Spirit, but Liquid made it look like a walk in the park.

My take

It is a nice match to see, but Vici is sloppy; they can't keep up with the pressure from PV. We saw yesterday that they can BARELY push high ground even against REKONIX.

✓ Aftermath

PARIVISION is the big bad bully of the EWC. Man, they look dominating. They even had an Earth Spirit as position 4 for 9Class (which they flex between Noone and him). Absolutely amazing Dota.

My take

Prepare for some YOLO plays from both teams. But MOUZ will definitely squeeze them off the map in 25 minutes. They are fighting non-stop, and REKONIX just isn't ready for this kind of pressure.

✓ Aftermath

MidOne is on fire. I didn't have many expectations from MOUZ (well, because they lost TI qualifiers and played like a tier 2 stack in the last 4 tournaments). But now, I see a lot of farming patterns, and they are starting to be a problem in group C.

My take

Spirit got lucky here, because now they can beat Nemesis and gain some confidence. I don't believe that Nemesis can take down even this version of Team Spirit that we saw yesterday.

✓ Aftermath

Looks like Spirit is back on track. I like this Lina pick for Larl, and I think they need to play more around him rather than Yatoro. They need to let Yatoro farm and the supports to play around mid.

My take

I don't know; I'm not sold on 1Win's performance at all. They BARELY hang out with tier 2 teams. VP is clearly the same as always (they can throw any game), and they are somewhat afraid to push. But I think both maps will go to 70 minutes or more, and it will end up in a draw.

✗ Aftermath

Yeah, there is nothing to say here. VP is the strangest team to me. They always look somewhat prepared on day one of the tournament, and they just look like a 5-man pub stack. Timado just refuses to buy the goddamn Black King Bar on his TA. A deserved loss.

My take

2 teams that are very evenly matched. If the game is 30 minutes long, LGD will suffocate OG on the map. If it goes to late game, OG is greedier and can hold the high ground (which LGD always has a problem with). I'm going with a draw here.

✗ Aftermath

Complete domination by LGD in both maps. I don't know, it's like OG are afraid of them or even afraid to engage in fights. More than that, TaiLung outfarmed SF on a mid Shadow Fiend… Oh, forgot about Wisper on his Pudge, who actually won the map 2.

My take

This should be as one-sided as me against Gpk~ on mid.

✓ Aftermath

There are levels to this game. Yandex even picked the Phantom Lancer for watson. If PARIVISION is the big bad bully of the EWC, Yandex is more like the strategic genius for the EWC.

My take

Clearly the match of the day. Malr1ne is back. That alone changes everything—remember what Falcons looked like without him at BLAST Slam VII? Gpk is always dangerous. But in this slow meta where games go 60 minutes, ATF and Malr1ne (hell, even skiter) just outfarm everyone. I'm going with a draw here.

✓ Aftermath

As I said, two different teams, two different playstyles. When BB plays fast, it is kind of hard to counter that with a Necrophos. I believe the Falcons should stick with these beefy strats that they play. There is no need for Malr1ne to play on Ember Spirit just because it is OP in the midgame.

My take

I genuinely want to see TA2000 do well here. But GL is a nightmare in the early game if you don't ban Kez or Ember, and poor Rangers won't. I'm going with GamerLegion.

✓ Aftermath

This has got to be the most insane Nature's Prophet from Ghost. The dude went 3-3-21. He was basically farming the whole Poor Rangers team. Flawless performance from GamerLegion; let's hope they can keep up this energy further.

My take

I keep giving Xtreme chances, and they keep embarrassing me. But this is a qualifier team. Even a broken Xtreme with Ame farming for 40 minutes should be enough. I'm going with Xtreme. Prove me wrong, guys. Again.

✗ Aftermath

Unbelievable… Xtreme looks really lost. Even if they won map 2, it wasn't convincing. Ame is still doing Ame things. I mean, what was that Windranger in map 1?

My take

You never know what kind of Team Liquid version will show up. Buckle up; this will be a 70-minute bloodbath in each map. I'm going with a draw because I believe PlayTime needs to prove their worth after that 3-0 loss to LGD in the qualifiers.

✓ Aftermath

Actually, Liquid got lucky in map 1, and they somehow got that win. If Nisha hadn't transitioned his Nature's Prophet to carry, they would've lost 2-0. And yeah, Ace is kind of underperforming. And I don't mean just now in the EWC.

My take

I know that you think Sumail and Lorenof will destroy L1GA. But let me tell you something you don't know: L1GA qualified for The International 2026 just a week ago, and they are NOT your yolo tier 2 team. These dudes are legit, and I think they will steal a map from Nigma Galaxy.

✗ Aftermath

Yeah, my bad here. My model said that Nigma is the superior team in every department. But I was leaning towards L1GA because they won the TI qualifiers.Lorenof on that Huskar was probably one of the most dominating mids on day 1 of the EWC.

My take

That's another bad draw, but this time for Level UP. Aurora is hungry after two runner-up finishes in a row. Nightfall on Phantom Lancer alone ends this. I'm going with Aurora. 2-0.

✓ Aftermath

Skill difference in both maps; you just can't beat Aurora if you don't play as 5.

My take

MOUZ will cause at least one upset in this tournament—they always do. But against Spirit? No chance. I'm going with Team Spirit.

✗ Aftermath

Yeah, Spirit won the first map just because they have some nerves of steel. I don't know, they don't look scary at all. MOUZ actually outfarmed them in both maps. Yatoro didn't have his king aura in this match.

My take

REKONIX earned their spot, and I respect that. But Vici is just better in every department. I'm going with Vici Gaming. 2-0.

✓ Aftermath

It feels like REKONIX doesn't have that knowledge of what to do with the lead they have. I understand that in game 1, it was lost from the beginning, but what about map 2? They were leading the game with Drow Ranger, and then suddenly they took 2 bad fights and lost the game.

My take

Man, what a brutal draw for Nemesis. Astini is a genius coach, and they surprised everyone in the SA qualifiers. But boys, this is PARIVISION—the DreamLeague champions. Satanic will outfarm whatever they put on the map before they finish their starting items. I'm going with PARIVISION.

✓ Aftermath

I was a beatdown. It's no fun to play PARIVISION on the day of the group stage, I'll tell you that.

My take

I've seen OG play in the IT qualifiers, and I don't think their playstyle will match well against Yandex. The thing is, they play super greedy and I believe this will be their downfall. Yandex will pressure them early and will push the high ground in 25 minutes.

✗ Aftermath

Ahhh, such a close game by Yandex. But, credit where it's due, OG stood their ground and were playing on the back foot the whole time. They won 1 team fight and then just pushed Yandex. Am I tripping, or is Earth Spirit really overpowered in the mid?

My take

Three tournaments in a row of disappointment from VP. And they just lost the TI qualifiers to a tier 2 team. I don't know what else to tell you. I'm going with LGD. 2-0.

✗ Aftermath

Goddamn Windranger. VP won the map just because Timado is probably the best player on Windranger carry in the game. Also, LGD has this never-ending need to fight non-stop. I understand that this is the SA way to just fight, but sometimes they need to chill and farm.

My take

This is ex-Tundra, boys. Yes, they've been struggling. But IC x Insanity is not the team that can hang with them. I'm going with 1win. 2-0.

✓ Aftermath

I don't want to be a hater, but 1Win BARELY won both maps. I mean, they were losing the map 2 the whole time, and then they just outfarmed IC and won. Yeah, also 423 is NOT a Beastmaster carry player; there is no need to be top 1 in net worth and just try to outfarm Pure on a Drow Ranger.