Welcome to all esports and Dota 2 fans! From January 18 to 20, 2026, the ESL One Birmingham 2026: Western Europe Closed Qualifier will take place, where teams will compete for a spot in the main tournament. Eight teams will participate, including well-known organizations. Today, we are covering one of the Upper Bracket Quarterfinals matches, Team Liquid vs Nigma Galaxy, which promises to be very exciting. While the teams are preparing for the match, we will try to determine the likely winner and provide some betting tips.
How the bookies view it: Team Liquid favorite
Most bookmakers consider Team Liquid the favorites in the match against Nigma Galaxy at the ESL One Birmingham 2026: Western Europe Closed Qualifier. The team is one of the strongest at the professional level.
Team Liquid form
Let's begin our Dota 2 betting prediction with an analysis of Team Liquid form. This team is one of the most well-known in esports, especially in Dota 2, so there’s a lot we could say — but we’ll focus on the essentials.
Team Liquid roster: miCKe, Nisha, Ace, Boxi, tOfu.
Team Liquid did not start the 2025 season very well. At BLAST Slam II, the team finished the Group Stage with a 2-2 score, and in the playoffs they lost their first match and were eliminated from the tournament, placing 7th–8th.
Team Liquid performed at a similar level at DreamLeague Season 25. In the Group Stage, the team finished with a 1-5-1 score, and in Group Stage 2 with a 1-6 score, after which they were eliminated from the tournament in 7th place.
Team Liquid performed significantly better at PGL Wallachia Season 3. In the Group Stage, the team finished with a 3-0 score, and in the playoffs they reached the grand final through the upper bracket. In the grand final, Team Liquid defeated Tundra Esports 3-1 and became the champions of the tournament.
The team performed slightly below expectations at ESL One Raleigh 2025, finishing in 5th–6th place.
Team Liquid also won PGL Wallachia Season 4. In the Group Stage, the team finished with a 3-1 score, marking victories over Nigma Galaxy, Xtreme Gaming, and Tidebound. In the playoffs, the team reached the grand final, where they defeated PV 3-2 and became the champions of the tournament.
At online tournaments, Team Liquid perform slightly worse than on LAN. The team participated in BLAST Slam III and DreamLeague Season 26, where they placed 9th–10th and 8th respectively.
At PGL Wallachia Season 5, Team Liquid performed at a fairly good level, finishing in 3rd place.
At one of the main tournaments of the year, Esports World Cup 2025, Team Liquid performed below expectations. The team won their group in the Group Stage, but lost their first playoff match and were eliminated from the tournament, finishing in the top 8.
At The International 2025, Team Liquid performed below expectations. The reigning champions finished the group stage with a 3-2 score but were eliminated in the elimination stage after losing to Tundra Esports, placing 9th–13th in the tournament.
The team also took part in BLAST Slam IV, but not very successfully, finishing in 9th–10th place.
At PGL Wallachia Season 6, Team Liquid once again performed well, finishing in 3rd place and confirming that this tournament series is their most successful.
At DreamLeague Season 27, Team Liquid performed below the expected level. The team finished the Group Stage with a 3–3 record and was eliminated from the tournament, placing 9th–16th.
Most popular Team Liquid heroes
Here are the most picked and highest winrate heroes for Team Liquid over the last 6 months:
- Snapfire — 30 games — 50.00% winrate
- Tusk — 25 games — 56.00% winrate
- Puck — 24 games — 58.33% winrate
- Monkey King — 17 games — 76.47% winrate
- Kez — 17 games — 58.82% winrate
- Batrider — 17 games — 58.82% winrate
- Centaur Warrunner — 16 games — 62.50% winrate
- Windranger — 14 games — 57.14% winrate
- Lycan — 13 games — 76.92% winrate
- Slardar — 13 games — 61.54% winrate
Team Liquid aren’t always consistent, but when they hit their stride, they’re extremely difficult to stop.
Nigma Galaxy form
Let's continue our Dota 2 betting tips with an analysis of Nigma Galaxy form. Nigma Galaxy is a well-known team that has been competing on the Tier-1 scene for several years. The organization was previously called Nigma and was founded by former Team Liquid members, including four of the five The International 2017 champions.
Nigma Galaxy roster: TA2000, SumaiL, No!ob, OmaR, GH.
The 2025 season for Nigma Galaxy began with qualifiers, and the team managed to qualify for PGL Wallachia Season 3 and ESL One Raleigh 2025.
Their successful qualifying performances continued with a 3rd–4th place finish at BLAST Slam II. In the Group Stage, the team finished with a 3–1 record, and in the playoffs they reached the Semifinals but lost to Tundra Esports.
At PGL Wallachia Season 4: Western Europe Closed Qualifier, Nigma Galaxy also performed at a high level. The team reached the grand final through the upper bracket and defeated Team Secret, earning a slot at the main event.
At PGL Wallachia Season 3, Nigma Galaxy played worse than expected, finishing 12th–14th.
Another successful qualifier for Nigma Galaxy was their victory at DreamLeague Season 26: MESWA Closed Qualifier. There were no well-known teams at the tournament, and Nigma Galaxy easily earned a slot at the main event.
At ESL One Raleigh 2025, Nigma Galaxy performed at an average level, finishing in the top 8.
The team also played at PGL Wallachia Season 4, but again without an impressive result, finishing 12th–14th.
It is also worth noting their 7th place at DreamLeague Season 26.
At Clavision Masters 2025: Snow-Ruyi, Nigma Galaxy delivered a mediocre result. Although they topped their group with a 4–0 record, defeating PARIVISION, Tundra Esports, and Xtreme Gaming, the team lost to Tundra Esports and Xtreme Gaming in the playoffs, finishing 5th–6th at the tournament.
At The International 14, Nigma Galaxy performed above expectations. In the group stage, they finished with a 2–3 record; in the elimination stage, they won their match and advanced to the playoffs. In the playoffs, Nigma Galaxy lost their first match and dropped to the lower bracket. In the first round of the lower bracket, the team defeated Tidebound, and in the lower bracket quarterfinals they lost to Xtreme Gaming and were eliminated from the tournament, finishing in 5th–6th place.
At PGL Wallachia Season 6, in the Group Stage, Nigma Galaxy finished with a 3–1 record and placed 12th–14th.
At DreamLeague Season 27, Nigma Galaxy performed slightly below expectations. The team finished the Group Stage with a 3–3 record and was eliminated from the tournament, placing 9th–16th.
Most popular Nigma Galaxy heroes
Here are the most picked and highest winrate heroes for Nigma Galaxy over the last 6 months:
- Muerta — 20 games — 50.00% winrate
- Bane — 18 games — 77.78% winrate
- Puck — 17 games — 52.94% winrate
- Hoodwink — 17 games — 52.94% winrate
- Invoker — 15 games — 53.33% winrate
- Tusk — 13 games — 61.54% winrate
- Lycan — 11 games — 81.82% winrate
- Lone Druid — 11 games — 63.64% winrate
- Nature's Prophet — 9 games — 55.56% winrate
- Troll Warlord — 8 games — 75.00% winrate
As you can see, Nigma Galaxy favors reliable heroes and has a decent winrate.
Team Liquid vs Nigma Galaxy Head-to-Head History
Team Liquid and Nigma Galaxy have played against each other 16 times, with the former winning 15 matches and the latter winning 1. The match at the ESL One Birmingham 2026: Western Europe Closed Qualifier is not a rivalry, but both teams are determined to win.
Players to watch: miCKe and SumaiL
Among the players on both teams, we highlight Team Liquid’s position 1 player miCKe and Nigma Galaxy’s position 2 player SumaiL. Both players demonstrate a high level of gameplay and strong statistics, making a significant contribution to their teams victories.
Predicted result of the match Team Liquid vs Nigma Galaxy at ESL One Birmingham 2026: Western Europe Closed Qualifier
Most analysts and experts consider Team Liquid the favorites in the match against Nigma Galaxy at the ESL One Birmingham 2026: Western Europe Closed Qualifier. The team is one of the strongest at the professional level and aims to improve its results in the 2026 season. However, Nigma Galaxy should not be underestimated; the team is a solid mid-tier professional squad and can put up a strong fight. In our opinion, based on previous results, Team Liquid will win this match. Fans should expect a dynamic and exciting game.
Betting Prediction: Team Liquid win.
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