win.gg
Win.gg Esports Betting HEROIC exits EWC Club Partner Program after Dota 2 departure, leaves CS2 as sole title

HEROIC exits EWC Club Partner Program after Dota 2 departure, leaves CS2 as sole title

Wasif Ahmed
Wasif Ahmed Published 15/05/2026
Google Preferred Source
HEROIC EWC

HEROIC has left the Esports Foundation’s Club Partner Program for the Esports World Cup 2026 after the organization announced earlier this month that it was exiting Dota 2 due to the game being ‘unsustainable in the long term’. This left CS2 as its sole operational title.

Both HEROIC and the Esports Foundation (EF) announced the exit in separate statements. The EF said that the recent internal changes meant the organization no longer met the minimum requirements for the Club Partner Program. As a result, HEROIC had ‘agreed to exit’ the 2026 EF Club Partner Program.

HEROIC echoed the same sentiments in its statement and said that the decision was taken due to its departure from Dota 2 and ‘internal organizational changes’. It’s unclear what the latter are.

“Being part of the program since 2025 has given us the platform and resources to create content and experiences that truly resonated with our fans, and we are grateful for that opportunity,” the organization added in its statement.

Image credit: HEROIC

The Esports Foundation’s Club Partner Program selects 40 clubs from different regions of the world. As a part of this, clubs can receive up to $1 million in funding based on how they activate their brand, players, and fans for the Esports World Cup.

There are no additional benefits to clubs, as they still need to qualify through existing pathways to compete in the EWC.

HEROIC was a part of the program in 2025 too, where it competed in Dota 2 and Counter-Strike 2, its two main titles.

Following the club’s departure from Dota 2, which it announced on May 4, 2026, HEROIC was operating in only one esports title: Counter-Strike 2.

With the roster lock deadline for the EWC having passed on April 30, the organization doesn’t have a chance to participate in one of the other 22 games at the EWC.

The EF has not said if it was exploring a replacement for HEROIC in the Club Partner Program. It could be highly unlikely, though, given that the roster lock deadline has already passed. WIN.gg has reached out to the Esports Foundation for clarification.

HEROIC’s exit highlights sustainability concerns in Dota 2

HEROIC is prioritizing long-term financial sustainability with its Dota 2 exit. 

Robin Nymann, the chief gaming officer for HEROIC, spoke more about the team’s departure from Dota 2 when it was announced.

“The unfortunate reality is that Dota is a tough game to commercialize, and at HEROIC we have not been able to make it bear fruit for a long time now,” Nymann said. “I have nothing but faith in this group of people, and the only reason we’ve made this decision is financial.”

HEROIC had entered Dota 2 in January 2024 and had been performing well since then. This included winning the PGL Wallachia Season 2, which made it the first LATAM team to win a top-tier Dota 2 LAN. It also placed in the top six at TI 2025. The club’s total winnings from Dota 2 were approximately $1.4 million, per Liquipedia.

The EWC 2026 is scheduled to take place from July 6 to August 23, 2026. While the tournament was set to happen in Riyadh, Saudi Arabia, recent reports say it could be moved to Paris, France due to the ongoing conflict in the Middle East.

Featured image credit: HEROIC

Wasif Ahmed Wasif Ahmed
About Wasif Ahmed

Wasif Ahmed is the Lead Esports Editor for WIN.gg. He has been covering esports for nearly eight years, although his gaming journey started much earlier, when he was just four years old and was introduced to Road Rash on a dusty PC. Hit him up on X to talk about esports, why partnership models are the best fit for esports games, or if Halo 7 has finally been announced.

View full profile
Read Also
Dota 2 temporarily deletes popular hero before launching huge Dark Carnival update Dota 2
Dota 2 temporarily deletes popular hero before launching huge Dark Carnival update Michael Hassall If you were an Axe player in Dota 2 earlier this week, you’d have found yourself out of luck when you tried to pick the stalwart Oglodi warrior, as the hero was straight up removed from the game on June 23. The hero was completely missing from All-Pick and his hero model was replaced with a missing poster. Axe couldn’t even be demoed or picked in a custom game for ...
Team Yandex stop the magic, defeating LGD in BLAST Slam VII finals Dota 2
Team Yandex stop the magic, defeating LGD in BLAST Slam VII finals Michael Hassall Team Yandex have defeated LGD Gaming in the grand finals of BLAST Slam VII in a dramatic 3-1 series that saw both teams pushed to the limit, but ultimately Yandex come out on top. Concluding the last major tournament before teams head to the Esports World Cup and The International 2026 next month and in August, Yandex were able to counter the momentum of LGD that had brought them into ...
BLAST Slam VII Finals Predictions and Picks – Can LGD make it all the way? Dota 2
BLAST Slam VII Finals Predictions and Picks – Can LGD make it all the way? Michael Hassall LGD Gaming in the top three of a tournament!? What is this 2021? BLAST Slam VII has been one of the most surprising tournaments of the year, and has capped off the pre-EWC and TI season with some of the most thrilling gameplay we’ve seen in months. And the finals are set to be even more exciting. With just three teams left there’s a lot on the line, from the ...
Easiest Dota 2 Heroes for Beginners – Best Picks to Learn the Game Dota 2
Easiest Dota 2 Heroes for Beginners – Best Picks to Learn the Game Simon Day We can all agree that Dota 2 is a complex game, but starting with the right heroes can make the learning process much smoother. Choosing one of the best Dota 2 heroes for beginners is key to building your skills and enjoying your matches. That’s why it’s time to explore the heroes that are easy to understand, effective in the game and great for learning the fundamentals. Without going into ...
BLAST Slam VII Playoffs Preview – Visa issues transform the playoff picture Dota 2
BLAST Slam VII Playoffs Preview – Visa issues transform the playoff picture Michael Hassall BLAST Slam VII is the last major tournament before teams lock-in and compete at the EWC and The International, and as a result, we’re seeing a tournament with some unique outcomes. With teams seemingly treating this as a last-minute tune-up before the championship clashes of the next two months, a South American team has topped the table and some of the best teams in the world are either without players ...
TI-Champions Tundra Esports exit Dota 2 as roster transfers to 1win Dota 2
TI-Champions Tundra Esports exit Dota 2 as roster transfers to 1win Michael Hassall Tundra Esports has revealed it’s leaving Dota 2 after six years and a victory at The International 2022. The UK-based organization has announced its roster will transfer directly to 1win for future events. The announcement, posted on Tundra's socials on June 1, confirms rumors and earlier social posts from 1win which hinted at a new lineup. With the move, however, questions about 1win’s existing EEU roster and attendance at The ...
A full weekend of TI15 tickets will cost you just $280 – If you don’t mind the view Dota 2
A full weekend of TI15 tickets will cost you just $280 – If you don’t mind the view Michael Hassall Alongside the team invites for The International 2026, Valve today (May 26) unveiled the pricing and details of how to purchase tickets for TI15, and the price is the lowest in years. For years we’ve seen the price of The International Prize, with a peak of around $700 as a lowest price for a full weekend for both 2023 in Seattle, and 2024 in Copenhagen. But after a fall in ...