The International 2026 ended in Shanghai on August 23 after two weeks of competition on patch 7.41e. Across about 148 games, a clear group of heroes controlled the drafts. Supports with lane presence and utility, durable offlaners, and strong cores defined the meta. Teams favored mobility, saves, initiation, and sustain for long teamfights.

Most Contested Heroes

Treant Protector was the most banned hero. He appeared in nearly every draft with around 140 bans and only 8 picks. When picked, his win rate stayed high near 87 percent. His healing, root, and global tools made him a top priority ban.

Earth Spirit ranked high overall with about 44 picks and over 90 bans. His mobility, initiation, and Magnetize damage delivered a strong 66 percent win rate, mostly from the mid lane.

Other frequent names included Keeper of the Light, Lina, Hoodwink, Centaur Warrunner, Shadow Fiend, Ember Spirit, Winter Wyvern, and Undying.

Top Picked Heroes

Mirana and Hoodwink led with roughly 73 picks each. Hoodwink worked as a flexible support with stun, mobility, damage, and Break. Her win rate sat near 42 percent, yet teams kept picking her early. Mirana offered Sacred Arrow setups and strong ganks at about 47 percent win rate.

Centaur Warrunner followed with 58-59 picks and a 50 percent win rate. He farmed neutrals early then became a durable initiator. Winter Wyvern (51 picks, 57 percent) and Undying (around 50 picks) added strong support options. Lina saw 45-46 picks mostly mid, while Earth Spirit posted the best success among high-volume heroes.

Top Banned Heroes

Beyond Treant Protector, bans focused on Keeper of the Light (near 100), Earth Spirit (over 90), Lina, Shadow Fiend, Largo, and Ember Spirit. Centaur Warrunner also drew many bans despite high picks.

Role Snapshot

Supports: Hoodwink and Mirana dominated picks. Treant Protector and Keeper of the Light took most bans. Winter Wyvern and Undying filled secondary roles.

Offlane: Centaur Warrunner was the clear favorite, followed by Underlord and Dark Seer. Largo faced heavy bans.

Mid: Lina led volume. Earth Spirit was the most banned and highly successful when available. Ember Spirit offered a solid alternative.

Carry: Shadow Fiend topped both picks and bans. Tiny, Kez, and Nature’s Prophet also appeared regularly.

Meta Insights

The TI 2026 meta rewarded tanky fronts, healing, and long fights. Heart of Tarrasque was common. Heroes with saves and late-game scaling performed well. Flexible picks like Hoodwink stayed popular even with lower win rates. Powerhouses such as Treant Protector and Earth Spirit forced constant respect.

These patterns will shape the next months of pro and pub play. Teams that adapted to the sustain-heavy style advanced farthest at The International 2026.