Dota 2: DreamLeague Season 26 recap and analysis

Dreamleague Season 26 is a web based event and the final occasion within the third season of the ESL Professional Tour. The 16 greatest Dota 2 groups compete for a share of the $1 million prize pool. Most significantly, it is a high-stakes event for groups aiming to take part within the upcoming Esports World Cup 2025, as it’s the closing occasion to earn ESL Professional Tour factors to qualify.

Tundra Esports, the winners of the final event in Blast Slam III, had been noticeably absent from DreamLeague 26, however many earlier winners had been prepared to offer a great battle. With 202 video games performed over two weeks, and even a serious patch in the midst of the occasion, there are numerous video games to recap and break down on this event. 

DreamLeague 26 incorporates a round-robin group stage that lasted over two weeks. The primary stage consisted of two teams, every with eight groups, with a two-game collection. The highest 4 groups from every group advance to the second stage. For the second group stage, the highest eight groups battle it out in a best-of-three collection. The highest 4 groups with the most effective standing on this stage lastly go on to a double-elimination playoff.

The long-form event is intensive and exhausting, with each crew enjoying all opponents in teams though they’re successfully eradicated. As a result of format, Staff Spirit declined their invite, and the BLAST Slam III winners, Tundra Esports, withdrew because of fatigue. Staff Liquid and NAVI Junior changed their slots, respectively.

Staff Liquid went into the event with out their star carry miCKe, bringing in Virtus.professional’s V-Tune as a stand-in. BetBoom additionally used a stand-in from VP, enlisting Kiritych to switch Pure for the event. Since Staff Spirit and Tundra had been lacking, together with Liquid and BetBoom enjoying with out their full roster, PARIVISION (PARI) was clearly the crew to beat for the occasion.

Unsurprisingly, PARIVISION completed the primary group stage with no collection loss, then went undefeated within the second group stage. Their dominance by way of the event made historical past because the third-highest winrate at an occasion, incomes them the best Glicko 2 score ever.

Yakult Brothers and Talon Esports had been the one two groups that had been in a position to take a recreation off PARI. These two groups have explosive and entertaining video games, with lots of them value watching for his or her depth. YB’s midlaner Emo and flyfly placed on stellar particular person performances, whereas Talon’s duo of 23savage and Mikoto saved Southeast Asia’s hope alive all through the occasion.

Staff Falcons went full poisonous towards NAVI Junior, maybe sore from the latter eliminating them from the group stages in PGL Wallachia Season 4. Gaimin Gladiators had been in a position to sneak their option to the second group stage after their tiebreaker match towards Falcons. NAVI Junior wanted yet one more win for one more shot on the tiebreaker, however sadly, misplaced each video games towards the worst-performing crew, Edge.

In the meantime, in Group A, Aurora Gaming and Nigma Galaxy led with 10 wins and 4 losses. As ordinary, Nigma brings its followers on a rollercoaster of feelings as a result of they’re both successful with one-sided stomps or throwing a 27k gold lead. 

BetBoom, Liquid, and Shopify Revolt had been combating for a spot within the second group stage, however sadly, SR might solely take one recreation from Aurora. BetBoom and Liquid each scored two wins towards weaker groups, BOOM Esports and OG.LATAM, respectively.

Valve released a major patch simply in time for the second group stage, which additionally occurred final DreamLeague: updating to patch 7.38, altering the map, and including Ringmaster to Captains Mode. Lots of the dominant heroes from the final patch had been nerfed, and groups had been slowly adjusting to the brand new meta because the week went on.

Staff Liquid goes on to indicate that their curse of by no means making it previous the group levels in DreamLeague is actual, shedding each collection besides towards Nigma. Yakult Brothers began sturdy throughout the first three days, however weren’t capable of finding one win after shedding two video games towards Aurora.

There have been two tiebreakers on the ultimate day to find out their placement for the playoffs. BetBoom beats Talon 2-1 to safe their seat within the Higher Bracket with PARI. In the meantime, Aurora eliminates Gaimin Gladiators 2-1 to discover a spot within the Decrease Bracket Semifinals.

After 12 days of gruelling group levels, the playoffs start with the ultimate 4 groups. PARIVISION 2-0 BetBoom, sending them right down to the decrease bracket. Talon made a press release by sweeping Aurora off the event, however was stopped of their tracks by BetBoom. The semi-finals had been marked by unexciting stomps from each side; regardless, ending third place in a serious event is a massive win for Talon and for the SEA area.

The odds are stacked towards BetBoom as they’ve misplaced each collection towards PARIVISION, entering into with 4 straight losses within the grand finals. PARI had been having probably the greatest event runs in Dota 2 aggressive historical past, whereas BetBoom has by no means received a collection towards PARI in 2025 (DreamLeague 25 & 26, ESL One Raleigh 2025, Fissure Playground 1). Can BetBoom rally with out their carry and one way or the other put an finish to PARI’s winstreak?

The reply is a powerful no. BetBoom was stomped in all three video games of DreamLeague 26’s grand finals.

Recreation 1: PARI win, 29:50 minutes.

BetBoom brings out a sensible final choose Slardar throughout the draft, answering PARI’s tanky, aura-stacking composition. In concept, PARI ought to crumble to BetBoom’s sturdy pick-off potential and skill to rapidly disengage from Pudge, their solely dependable initiation.

Nonetheless, everybody has a plan till they get hooked within the face. PARI’s help 9Class landed hook after hook to snowball a lead, which allowed Satanic’s Sven to rapidly farm his core gadgets and dagger. After that, it was all downhill for BetBoom as they couldn’t cease PARI’s cores from blowing up their backline in each battle. Satanic ended this battle with an unbelievable 13 kills and an 831 gpm.

Recreation 2: PARI win, 36:33 minutes. 

BetBoom has a terrifying draft that may allow gpk’s Huskar to steamroll by way of PARI’s composition. However as soon as once more, 9Class’ Rubick put a dent of their stronger draft by tenting the midlane, turning it into an unfavourable 2v2 and inflicting Huskar to go away midlane early and underfarmed. 

MieRo’s Axe seemed nice throughout the early levels, however he missed too many essential Calls that ruined their initiation. Gpk’s itemisation was additionally questionable, opting to go for Satanic as an alternative of an Aghanim’s Scepter towards Drow Ranger. Evaluating them to PARI’s good crew synergy—like Dukalis’ saves, a carry Mars fencing within the Lycan, and their capacity to out manoeuvre and kite out the Huskar throughout fights—exhibits how a lot they outclass them.

After a profitable teamfight at 36 minutes, PARIVISION walks as much as the throne and wins the sport with out even taking one rax.

Recreation 3: PARI collection win, 47:46 minutes.

BetBoom saved a small benefit over PARIVISION for the primary 25 minutes, however two misplayed teamfights bought them again into the sport. BetBoom’s crew comp is closely centred round teamfighting, even placing their carry Kiritych on Tidehunter. Nonetheless, the longer the sport went on, the tougher it was for gpk’s Sniper to capitalise on their large stuns.

No[o]ne displayed self-discipline in mastery with Ember Spirit on this battle, understanding when to bop across the battle to keep away from getting locked down. With one major supply of sustained harm, DM’s Lycan was in a position to soften the blow by decreasing Sniper’s harm with Howl, which additionally softened the Tidehunter. His itemisation and Nullifier had been key pickups to make sure his crew survived the preliminary burst. 

A lot to no person’s shock, PARIVISION wins all three video games of the finals with ease. The crew is a novel mix of versatile, numerous, and mechanically gifted people with good teamfight coordination. Satanic is a lightning-fast farmer, No[o]one is even higher than his prime VP days, DM is a constant offlaner they’ll depend on, 9Class is an obnoxious disruptor and undeniably proficient, and Dukalis captains this crew to their energy.

PARIVISION completed the event with an excellent 31 wins and 4 losses. Two of these losses had been towards the third runner-up, Talon, and it might’ve been attention-grabbing to see how they might fare towards them in an extended collection.

The primary group stage was performed in patch 7.38, so there are numerous acquainted heroes from PGL Wallachia Season 4 and Blast Slam III. So, even when Valve dropped a serious patch in the beginning of the second group stage, groups haven’t totally tailored and labbed out the sturdy picks of the patch. Even so, a meta rapidly fashioned as the times went on.

Essentially the most contested hero of DreamLeague 26 is Bristleback, who was picked or banned 193 instances, or a 95.54% contest price. Bristleback is a versatile choose with totally different efficient builds. With eight picks, PARIVISION picked Bristleback probably the most and even scored a last-second rampage for him towards Talon. 

Shadow Shaman is probably the most picked hero, showing in 96 out of the 202 video games performed. His buffs in 7.38 and seven.39 solidify him because the stronger, most dependable help who can do the whole lot from nuke, CC, farm, and push. Shadow Shaman is prospering in pub video games and is a must-pick on this meta.  

Filtering by 7.39, we will see acquainted and new faces in DreamLeague 26. Templar Murderer stays sturdy as ever regardless of her nerfs. Kunkka’s Grog Blossom side now utilized the Rum Buff to himself, which enabled this tanky construct centred on Radiance. Timeless has probably the greatest winrates in 7.39 due to a slight buff and his synergy with Crimson Guard.

Nature’s Prophet loses the tacky Ironwood Treant side however finds much more energy as a help with the reworked Soothing Saplings side, offering a powerful therapeutic aura. Oracle noticed a close to 70% winrate in direction of the top of the event due to his new innate capacity to inform the place the following energy rune will spawn. Lina and Ursa had been additionally seeing extra play in the previous few days.

As a reminder, the professional meta is vastly totally different from the meta in pubs because of the distinct environments. Wraith King was absent from the event regardless of his 55% winrate in pubs. Legion Commander, Clinkz, Leshrac, and Spirit Breaker had been additionally efficient pub picks that noticed low presence in DreamLeague 26.

DreamLeague 26 has 202 video games performed over 14 days. Hidden in these archives are unbelievable performs, humorous moments, and so many stomps and rampages:

There was additionally an abundance of clip-worthy moments in common video games, equivalent to quite a few Aegis steals and lots of gamers getting skewered into the cliff.

It was clear that PARIVISION was ultimately going to win DreamLeague 26, however no person anticipated simply how a lot they dominated the occasion. Moreover, Yakult Brothers and Talon Esports are displaying that they’re steadily catching as much as the European areas. Dota 2 is extraordinarily aggressive proper now, and any of those groups can snatch the ultimate victory from one another.

Despite the fact that groups need to cope with the shock patch, they had been rapidly capable of finding the sturdy heroes. However subsequent event we’ll see who rises up because the meta begins to settle.