Today ESL Faceit Group (EFG) has announced the teams competing in Dota 2 tournament DreamLeague Season 19, and they include a UK-based organisation.
London-based Tundra Esports, winners of The International 2022, are one of the 16 teams that will be taking part in the latest iteration of the DreamLeague.
DreamLeague Season 19 will run online from April 9th to April 23rd 2023.
As part of the recently launched ESL Pro Tour for Dota 2, DreamLeague powered by Intel returns with a brand new format.
Each season, 16 of the best teams from around the globe will compete online from their bootcamps in Europe for two weeks. At stake are a share of the $1m total prize pool per season and the chance to qualify directly to the Group Stage of Riyadh Masters at Gamers8.
Full list of DreamLeague Season 19 teams
The following teams are confirmed to compete in DreamLeague Season 19:
- Beastcoast
- Entity
- Evil Geniuses
- Execration
- HellRaisers
- Gaimin Gladiators
- Nouns
- OG
- PSG.LGD
- Shopify Rebellion
- Talon Esports
- Team Aster
- Team Liquid
- Team Spirit
- TSM
- Tundra Esports
Fans can watch DreamLeague Season 19 on the DreamLeague Twitch and the ESL Dota 2 YouTube channels and via dedicated broadcast partners.
DreamLeague Season 19 teams can qualify for $15m Riyadh Masters as part of Dota 2 ESL Pro Tour
The news comes a few days after ESL Faceit Group announced the launch of the new ESL Pro Tour (EPT) for Dota 2.
The ESL Pro Tour combines EFG tournaments in a specific game title into an open circuit where teams battle their way up to ultimately compete at a Championship event.
The circuit for Dota 2 aims to provide more cross-regional competitions between the best Dota 2 teams in the world.
The tour kicks off with DreamLeague Season 19 on April 9th 2023, followed by Season 20 on June 7th 2023, both of which will feature a $1m prize pool.
The winners of both seasons and the runner-up of Season 20, together with the five best-performing teams of both seasons, will also claim a spot in Riyadh Masters featuring a $15m total prize pool.
“Over the past couple of years, we’ve already seen the success of the ESL Pro Tour and the structure it brings to a game’s esports ecosystem,” said Shane Clarke, Director of Game Ecosystems for Dota 2 at EFG.
“Now, we are thrilled to expand it into the wonderful world of Dota 2 and thereby give players, fans, and partners – both existing and new – the opportunity to enjoy the best of the best that Dota 2 esports offers. Moreover, with the valuable Riyadh Masters competition functioning as the EPT Championship event, the circuit promises lots of electrifying moments and tier 1 action.”
DreamLeague Season 19 Schedule & Format
Group Stage 1: April 9 – 12
- The initial Group Stage will feature two groups of eight teams, who will compete in a single round-robin format where all matches will be best-of-two
- The top four teams from each group will advance to the next stage
Group Stage 2: April 14 – 20
- In the second Group Stage, there will be one group of eight teams. The matches will be in the best-of-three format, with teams competing against each other in a single round-robin.
- The top two teams will advance to the upper bracket of the Playoffs, and the third and fourth-placed teams will advance to the lower bracket of the Playoffs
Playoffs: April 22 – 23
- The four teams will compete in a double elimination bracket, with all matches played in the best-of-three format, except the final, which will be played in the best-of-five format
DreamLeague Season 19 broadcast talent
Desk/Co-hosts:
- Brian “BSJ” Canavan
- Jorien “Sheever” van der Heijden
- Ted “Pyrion” Forsyth
- Neal “Tsunami” Khandheria
- Trent “Trent” MacKenzie
Casters:
- Owen “ODPixel” Davies
- Ioannis “Fogged” Loucas
- Avery “SVG” Silverman
- Austin “Cap” Walsh
Analysts:
- Kevin “Purge” Godec
- Maurice “KheZu” Gutmann
- Andrew “Jenkins” Jenkins
- Mira “Ephey” Riad
- Alex “Sheepsticked” Roberts
DreamLeague Season 19 prize pool breakdown
| TOTAL | $1,000,000 |
| 1st | $300,000 |
| 2nd | $175,000 |
| 3rd | $120,000 |
| 4th | $85,000 |
| 5th | $52,500 |
| 6th | $47,500 |
| 7th | $42,500 |
| 8th | $37,500 |
| 9th-10th | $25,000 |
| 11th-12th | $20,000 |
| 13th-14th | $15,000 |
| 15th-16th | $10,000 |
DreamLeague Season 19 will begin at 12pm CEST on April 9, and fans can tune in during the livestreams on the DreamLeague Twitch and the ESL Dota 2 YouTube channels, and via dedicated broadcast partners. For more information about DreamLeague Season 19, check out the official DreamLeague website.
Dom is an award-winning writer and finalist of the Esports Journalist of the Year 2023 award. He graduated from Bournemouth University with a 2:1 degree in Multi-Media Journalism in 2007.
As a long-time gamer having first picked up the NES controller in the late ’80s, he has written for a range of publications including GamesTM, Nintendo Official Magazine, industry publication MCV and others. He worked as head of content for the British Esports Federation up until February 2021, when he stepped back to work full-time on Esports News UK and offer esports consultancy and freelance services. Note: Dom still produces the British Esports newsletter on a freelance basis, so our coverage of British Esports is always kept simple – usually just covering the occasional press release – because of this conflict of interest.
