If you've only tuned into Dota 2 for the biggest event of the year, you may have noticed something unusual while looking through the participants at The International 2026. Where are familiar names like BetBoom Team, PARIVISION, or L1GA Team? Instead, the tournament features BoomBoys, TEAM VISION, Iron Wing, and HULIGANI.

These aren't new organizations—they're the same teams competing under temporary (or, in one case, permanent) identities. Here's why Valve required the rebranding and why the rules are unique to The International.

Valve Has Been Tightening Sponsorship Rules for Three Years

Valve's campaign against in-game advertising at The International began in 2024, when the company announced stricter restrictions on sponsorship visibility during its flagship tournament. The initial rules prohibited promotional banners, sponsor logos displayed around the in-game base, and commercial additions to player nicknames.

In 2025, Valve expanded those requirements by introducing dedicated branding guidelines for participating organizations. Teams were no longer allowed to use digital assets—including team names, logos, or banners—that referenced sponsors whose products or services could not legally be advertised in every region where TI is broadcast.

The impact became immediately visible at The International 2025. BetBoom Team shortened its name to BB Team, while PARIVISION competed as PVISION. Valve used those official names throughout the tournament.

For The International 2026, the restrictions became even stricter. Simply shortening a sponsor-related name was no longer enough. Organizations with strong ties to betting companies were required to adopt entirely neutral identities for Valve's official broadcasts and tournament materials.

The tournament's location also played a significant role. The International 2026 is being held in Shanghai, China, where gambling advertising has long faced strict legal restrictions. Teams competing in Chinese events have traditionally removed betting sponsors from jerseys and promotional materials, and this year's TI follows the same principle on an even larger scale.

Every Team That Changed Its Name for TI 2026

Ahead of the tournament, Valve requested four of the sixteen participating teams to compete under different names.

BetBoom Team → BoomBoys

The most noticeable rebrand belongs to BetBoom Team, which now competes as BoomBoys.

The new identity first appeared on May 25, 2026, when Valve published the official list of invited teams for The International. From that moment onward, all official tournament materials referred to the roster as BoomBoys.

L1GA Team → HULIGANI

Former L1GA Team entered the tournament under the name HULIGANI.

The organization introduced the new brand on social media on June 18, joking:

"Now we're the biggest hooligans on these green streets."

The roster already used the HULIGANI tag during the European TI qualifiers, and on August 10 the organization confirmed that HULIGANI would become its permanent name going forward—not just a temporary replacement for The International.

PARIVISION → TEAM VISION

PARIVISION also received a completely new identity.

Valve first listed the squad as TEAM VISION in its May 25 invitation announcement. The organization officially confirmed the change on June 22, shortly before regional qualifiers began.

1win → Iron Wing

The former 1win roster competes at TI as Iron Wing.

The team originally qualified under Tundra Esports, but after changing organizations, Valve required a neutral tournament identity due to the new ownership.

According to sports director Alexander "sweetypotz" Shcherbakov, the team initially proposed the name 1wings as a tribute to legendary TI6 champions Wings Gaming. Valve ultimately rejected that option, leading to the adoption of Iron Wing instead.

Why Counter-Strike Majors Don't Have the Same Problem

Interestingly, this large-scale rebranding only affects Dota 2.

At IEM Cologne Major 2026, organizations such as BetBoom Team and PARIVISION competed under their regular names without any restrictions. PARIVISION reached Stage 3 of the tournament, while BetBoom advanced to the quarterfinals.

The reason lies in how Valve manages each esport.

The International is Valve's own flagship Dota 2 championship, allowing the company to enforce tournament-specific branding policies that every participant must accept.

Counter-Strike Majors operate differently. While Valve provides the core competitive rulebook, the event itself is organized by an independent tournament operator, which establishes many of the commercial and branding regulations. As a result, sponsorship policies and naming requirements can differ significantly between Dota 2's premier event and Counter-Strike's Major Championships.