According to insider rumors, The International 2026 could be the final tournament for the current Team Falcons roster. There has been no official confirmation yet, but if the rumors prove true, Dota 2 will lose one of the strongest lineups of recent years.
The current Team Falcons roster was assembled at the end of 2023. Its core consists of skiter, Malr1ne, ATF, Cr1t-, and Sneyking.
By TI 2026, this five-man lineup will have been competing together for almost three years. That is a very long time in the modern professional scene, especially considering the level of competition and the constant roster shuffles.
Falcons became one of the leading forces in international Dota 2 almost immediately. In 2024, the team won several major tournaments, including BetBoom Dacha Dubai 2024, DreamLeague Season 22, ESL One Birmingham 2024, and DreamLeague Season 23.
The team quickly established itself as a roster that consistently reaches the final stages of tournaments and knows how to defeat top opponents in decisive matches.
The roster’s biggest achievement was winning The International 2025. Falcons defeated Xtreme Gaming 3:2 in the grand final and claimed the Aegis. After that, the team could no longer be described as simply a strong seasonal roster — Falcons proved they were capable of winning the biggest tournament of the year.
If the rumors are true, The International 2026 could be Falcons’ final chance to compete together on the biggest stage. During their time together, this roster has won several tier-one tournaments, claimed three consecutive DreamLeague titles, become TI champions, and established itself as one of the most dangerous teams in the world.
At the same time, the team’s recent results are already raising questions. Falcons finished 5th–8th at EWC 2026 after losing to Vici Gaming in the quarterfinals. For a team of this level, it is not a disaster, but it is certainly a warning sign ahead of The International.
TI 2026 could become more than just another tournament for Falcons — it may be the final chapter of an entire era. If the team really does break up after TI, this lineup will remain in history as one of the most successful Dota 2 rosters of recent years.
According to the source, the government allocated more than 10 billion tenge — approximately $20 million. Another $10 million was allegedly budgeted under the item «Services Related to the Games of the Future», but without any detailed explanation.
Valve has released the Compendium for The International 2026. This year, players will once again be able to earn free rewards by making predictions for the biggest tournament of the year.
Valve has updated the matchmaking system in Dota 2 and adjusted MMR at the highest ranks.
Valve has released Patch 7.41e for Dota 2. The update is not a major one, but it is still quite important for the current meta: the developers have adjusted several popular heroes, mana regeneration items, Divine Rapier, and a number of powerful neutral artifacts.
Chinese coach Zhang «Xiao8» Ning has officially left Xtreme Gaming. LaNm and Maps are now in charge of the team, while XG’s current roster consists of Ame, NothingToSay, Xxs, fy, and xNova.
Another strange detail has been discovered in Dota 2 that may be connected to the current event. According to content creator Dmitry «Finargot» Plyusnin, Valve touched the files of the Colosseum custom game in the latest update — a mode that first appeared back in 2015.
At the upcoming The International, six players have a chance to rewrite Dota 2 history. Yatoro, Collapse, Mira, skiter, Sneyking, and 33 have already won the biggest tournament of the year twice, but now each of them could become the first three-time TI champion as a player.
