Valve’s Dota 2 returns to the Esports World Cup, usually held in Riyadh, for a fourth straight year in 2027.
Three different Clubs, each with a different roster, have lifted the Dota 2 trophy in the three editions so far.
The Esports Foundation, the nonprofit that runs the event, confirmed the news in its announcement on the Esports World Cup site. No Club or player has won the title twice.
Dota 2 is a MOBA in which two teams of five each control one hero and try to destroy the other side’s base.
How PVISION won in 2026
The most recent title went to PVISION, which beat BB Team 3-1 in a best-of-five grand final. PVISION lost the opening game, then won the next three. The team topped its group without losing a match, drawing once with Team Spirit (the 2025 champions), and knocked out Rune Eaters and Team Yandex in the playoffs. Evgeniy “Noticed” Ignatenko was named Sony MVP.
According to Inven Global, the winners took home $750,000 in prize money, citing the event’s results page.
A month after failing to repeat at the EWC, Team Spirit won The International 2026 in Shanghai. Yatoro and Collapse became the first players to win three of The International titles, all with Spirit and before turning 25. Elsewhere, Falcons, which won The International 2025, left Dota 2 altogether, and Andreas “Cr1t-” Nielsen announced an indefinite break from competing.
What the Esports World Cup is
According to Wikipedia, the event is considered the largest professional esports event in the world by total prize pool and number of game titles.
Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman formally set up the Esports World Cup and its foundation in September 2023, and the first tournament followed in 2024 as the successor to Gamers8. The event pays upwards of US$70 million across tournament prize pools, qualifier rewards, MVP awards, and the Club Championship.
The event usually takes place in Riyadh from July to August, but the 2026 edition was held in Paris. Liquipedia lists the 2027 edition back in Riyadh, and the organisers’ site says it will run from July to August 2027. Riyadh also hosts the Esports Nations Cup, which has slipped to November 2027.
The rest of the 2027 lineup
The full game list isn’t out yet; the organisers say they’ll reveal it on the event site. So far, chess is confirmed for a third year, with two-time champion Magnus Carlsen guaranteed to return. Fatal Fury: City of the Wolves and Street Fighter 6 will also be back. Liquipedia adds that Trackmania, Rocket League, and Fortnite have three-year deals.
The Dota 2 announcement gives no dates, prize pool, or format for 2027, and the organisers haven’t named any teams. Organisers can now apply to run official Road to EWC qualifiers, with applications closing on 20 December.
