5 teams we expect to define the Dota 2 esports scene in 2026

2025 has seen the decline of several Dota 2 teams that were mainstays in the competitive scene. While some of the current teams thrived under new management, new rosters, and a change in their drafting style, the other teams could not replicate the same success. Many popular teams from the past fell off in 2025 and need to regain their momentum.

Of all the Dota 2 teams that have struggled in the last year, we feel like these five teams have a chance to regain their past glory and become the teams to watch in 2026.

With the unpredictability of today’s meta, it is possible for just about any team to make it big, given their adaptability. However, only a handful of teams have lived up to the standards these five teams set during their primes.

OG has been a household name in the Dota 2 scene since 2018. Throughout the last few years, the organization has undergone multiple roster changes, never quite finding its identity. OG even failed to qualify for TI 2025, an event the team is synonymous with. However, the new SEA roster for OG Esports looks to be as promising as its 2022 roster and could be an entertaining Dota 2 team to watch in 2026.

We feel like if OG maintains their SEA roster and focuses more on developing its current talent under capable leadership, the team could very well recapture the OG magic of the past.

Team Secret has always maintained a high profile since its inception in 2014. The Puppey-led squad has seen several iterations over the years, and its Dota 2 roster problems have affected Team Secret’s long-term success, much like OG. While the team consistently performs well, it tends to be outplayed by younger, faster teams in its region.

Team Secret could get back on track in 2026 by committing to a united roster that follows a similar vision. There might be early challenges when it comes to adapting to the Dota 2 meta, but with Puppey’s leadership, Team Secret will overcome them.

Two-time TI champions, Team Liquid, has been one of the Dota 2 teams struggling to maintain its form in 2025. Team Liquid’s biggest drawback in 2025 was its overly safe approach to drafting, preferring stability over creativity. This led to it being outdrafted by faster, more oppressive teams like Team Falcons, costing it a higher placement at TI 2025.

Team Liquid could regain its momentum in 2026 by shifting its drafting style to its strengths: early tempo and map pressure. A powerful early game presence will translate to strong late-game timings that could help it close games better.

After a strong start to the year, Nigma Galaxy eventually became one of the most underperforming Dota 2 teams of 2025. The team generally has drafts that tend to be quite unpredictable, but that often turns out to be the downfall of its own games. In most cases, Nigma Galaxy’s drafts are difficult to execute, and after a couple of poor late-game decisions, it often loses early leads.

Nigma Galaxy would benefit greatly from easier-to-execute drafts with better shot-calling towards the later stages of the game. Doing this could make Nigma Galaxy one of the best Dota 2 teams to watch in 2026.

Every Dota 2 fan knows Team Spirit, the two-time TI-winning team that showed viewers what a true “miracle run” was. After a dominant mid-season run by winning the Esports World Cup, it looked like 2025 was going to be Team Spirit’s third TI-winning year. Unfortunately, the team was taken out early, with several younger teams figuring out how to play around the veterans.

Team Spirit could rectify that in 2026 by expanding their hero pools, providing more pick flexibility to its cores, especially Yatoro and Collapse. If Team Spirit could re-embrace its historical strength, that of meta-breaking drafts, it could catch most younger teams off guard and become one of the most exciting Dota 2 teams to watch in 2026.

Since we’re quite early into the 7.40 era, it is understandable that many older teams are facing meta issues in Dota 2. As the competitive season pushes forward from February, it is quite likely that most of the underperforming teams of 2025 might end up surprising viewers once again. Hopefully, a rebalanced Largo will enter the tournament pool soon to shake things up even more going forward.