Saudi esports giant Team Falcons exits Dota 2

Image via Valve

Saudi esports organisation Team Falcons has announced its withdrawal from competitive Dota 2, ending a nearly three-year run that included victory at The International 2025.

Falcons confirmed the move following a strategic review of its esports plans for 2026 and beyond.

“At Team Falcons, our goal is to build long-term, high-impact programs across global esports,” the organisation said in an official statement.

Falcons said its global focus is shifting towards esports ecosystems offering “greater strategic alignment and long-term operational sustainability”.

The organisation also described its time in Dota 2 as an “incredible ride” as it thanked its players, staff and the wider community.

Falcons entered Dota 2 in November 2023 with a roster featuring Oliver “skiter” Lepko, Stanislav “Malr1ne” Potorak, Ammar “ATF” Al-Assaf, Andreas “Cr1t-” Nielsen and Wu “Sneyking” Jingjun.

The roster went on to win a string of major tournaments before claiming its biggest title at The International 2025, defeating Xtreme Gaming 3-2 in the grand final.

Earlier this year, Falcons competed at the Esports World Cup 2026 in Paris, where it reached the quarterfinals before losing 2-0 to Vici Gaming and finishing joint fifth-eighth.

The team's final tournament under the Falcons banner was The International 2026 in Shanghai, where the defending champions finished seventh-eighth following defeats to Nigma Galaxy and Team Liquid.

Falcons said it is actively supporting its players, coaches and support staff as they transition to their next steps.

The organisation has not announced plans to field another Dota 2 roster and said the decision represents a shift in its competitive focus rather than a reduction in its wider esports ambitions.