Team Liquid sign TI 2025 champion Malr1ne as new Dota 2 mid laner after Nisha steps away from competition

Team Liquid have completed their Dota 2 roster for the 2026-27 season by signing Stanislav "Malr1ne" Potorak, the Team Falcons mid laner who won The International in 2025. The 22-year-old Russian replaces Michał "Nisha" Jankowski, who stepped away from competitive play late last month. Liquid announced the move on Thursday 15 October.

Liquid's new-look five

Malr1ne joins carry Michael "miCKe" Vu, offlaner Adrián "Wisper" Cespedes Dobles, support Samuel "Boxi" Svahn and captain Erik "tOfu" Engel. Wisper himself only arrived in September, so two of the five positions have changed since The International 2026.

That event ended at the 5th-6th place mark for Liquid. They lost to Team Yandex in the upper bracket and were later knocked out by eventual champions Team Spirit in the lower bracket.

A champion on the market

Malr1ne became available after Team Falcons left competitive Dota 2 following TI 2026, where they finished 7th-8th. He spent almost three years with the organisation, a spell that brought the Aegis in 2025 and a run of top-level titles. He is known for a wide hero pool that takes in picks such as Puck, Pangolier, Timbersaw and Sand King.

He took a short break after TI 2026, in part for his wedding, before settling on Liquid. His arrival also sets up a reunion of sorts on the circuit: his long-time Falcons team-mate Ammar "ATF" Al-Assaf now plays offlane for Team Yandex, the side that knocked Liquid into the lower bracket at TI and went on to win BLAST Slam VIII.

Nisha's break and a Malaysian stand-in

Nisha had been with Liquid for four years and was part of the roster that won The International in 2024. His decision to take a break left Liquid short for BLAST Slam VIII, where Malaysian mid laner Yeik "MidOne" Nai Zheng stepped in. Liquid finished 9th-12th at that event.

By landing Malr1ne, Liquid have chosen a player with recent title-winning experience for the long term. With the roster now complete, the five players have about a week to prepare before their first official series together.

What comes next

The new lineup is expected to make its competitive debut at an online tier-one tournament that runs from Thursday 22 October to 1 November. Team Spirit and Team Yandex are among the expected opponents, which could put Malr1ne up against ATF early in the season.

Liquid's move is one of the last big pieces in a busy post-TI shuffle. Other recent changes include Team Tidebound's return under coach xiao8 with NothingToSay, Shiro and plAnet, and a rebuilt PlayTime roster around veteran Abed.

Key takeaways

• Team Liquid have signed TI 2025 champion Malr1ne to play mid.
• He replaces Nisha, who is taking a break after four years with Liquid.
• Malaysia's MidOne stood in for Liquid at BLAST Slam VIII.
• The new roster is expected to debut at an online event from 22 October.

FAQ

Who is in Team Liquid's Dota 2 roster now? miCKe (carry), Malr1ne (mid), Wisper (offlane), Boxi (soft support) and tOfu (hard support and captain).

Why was Malr1ne a free agent? Team Falcons left competitive Dota 2 after The International 2026, freeing their players.

Did MidOne join Team Liquid permanently? No. The Malaysian played for Liquid as a stand-in at BLAST Slam VIII while the team searched for a permanent mid laner.

Sources: GosuGamers, Dot Esports, Hotspawn, bo3.gg