Dota 2 World Cup 2026 to Take Place in Paris

The Dota 2 Esports World Cup 2026 is set to take place in Paris, France, running from July 7 to July 19. The tournament will feature 24 teams competing for a prize pool of $2 million. It consists of three stages: a Group Stage from July 7 to 11, a Survival Stage on July 14 and 15, and the Playoffs from July 16 to 19. Team Spirit is returning as the defending champion.

The group stage features 24 teams divided into four groups of six. They compete in a round-robin format, with each series consisting of two games. The top team from each group advances directly to the playoffs. At the end of the group stage, the bottom two teams from each group are eliminated.

In the survival stage, the second, third, and fourth-place teams from each group enter single-elimination brackets. Fourth-place teams face third-place teams, with the winners then competing against second-place teams in best-of-three matches. The playoffs bring together the four winners from the survival stage and the four group winners in a single-elimination bracket. All playoff matches are played as best-of-three, except for the grand final, which is a best-of-five.

The $2 million prize pool is divided among the top placements as follows: the champion receives $750,000 and 1,000 Club Points. The second-place finisher gets $340,000 and 750 Club Points. The third-place winner earns $200,000 and 500 Club Points. Those placing fourth receive $120,000 and 300 Club Points. Participants finishing fifth through eighth each get $70,000 and 200 Club Points. Those in ninth through twelfth place earn $40,000 each. Thirteenth through sixteenth place each receive $20,000, while those finishing seventeenth through twentieth get $10,000 each. The twenty-first to twenty-fourth places each receive $7,500.

Teams and Match Schedule

Twelve teams received direct invitations based on their rankings in the ESL Pro Tour Leaderboard, while 11 teams qualified through regional qualifiers. As the reigning champions, Team Spirit secured their spot for the tournament. Regional qualifiers have also determined several spots: Western Europe’s qualifiers are LGD Gaming and Rune Eaters; Eastern Europe’s are Level UP, Poor Rangers, L1GA Team, and IC x Insanity; China’s representative is Vici Gaming; Southeast Asia’s qualifier is REKONIX; North America is represented by GamerLegion; South America by Team Nemesis; and Nigma Galaxy qualified from MESWA.

Group A features Team Falcons vs. BB Team, GamerLegion vs. Poor Rangers, and Xtreme Gaming vs. Rune Eaters at 11am. Group B includes Team Liquid vs. PlayTime, Nigma Galaxy vs. L1GA Team, and Aurora vs. Level UP at 1:30pm. Group C has Team Spirit vs. MOUZ, REKONIX vs. Vici Gaming, and PVISION vs. Team Nemesis at 4pm. Group D features Team Yandex vs. OG, Virtus.pro vs. LGD Gaming, and 1w Team vs. IC x Insanity at 6:30pm. July 8 through 11 sees each group playing the remaining round-robin matches at the same time slots.

Notable rosters include Team Spirit, with players such as Yatoro, Larl, and Collapse; Team Falcons, featuring skiter, Malr1ne, ATF, Cr1t-, and Sneyking; and 1w Team, consisting of Pure, bzm, 33, Ari, and Whitemon. The latter team acquired the roster of Tundra Esports.

Team Spirit is back to defend its title against a tough lineup. Team Falcons finished as the runner-up in the 2025 event and is considered a strong contender. Other teams showing recent form include 1w Team, PVISION, Xtreme Gaming, and Team Liquid. Several of these teams are also aiming to qualify for Dota 2 The International 2026, which adds significance to this tournament as a lead-up event for TI15. Live matches are available on the Esports World Cup’s official broadcast channels. Results and standings from the group stage will be updated as matches finish. The winner will be decided in the grand final on July 19 in Paris.