Invites have been delivered, and Regional Qualifiers have concluded – we now know which teams will be attending Dota 2 The International in 2025.
The International 14 will take place in September. Eight invitations were sent directly to teams. Determining the remaining eight competitors, the Regional Qualifiers ran between June 3rd and 17th.
Complete list of qualified teams post-Regional Qualifiers:
- Team Liquid (Invited)
- PARIVISION (Invited)
- BetBoom Team (Invited)
- All Gamers Global (Invited)
- Gaimin Gladiators (Invited)
- Team Spirit (Invited)
- Team Falcons (Invited)
- Tundra Esports (Invited)
- NAVI Jr. (WEU Qualifiers #1)
- Nigma Glaxy (WEU Qualifiers #2)
- Aurora Gaming (EEU Qualifiers)
- Xtreme Gaming (CN Qualifiers)
- Team Nemesis (SEA Qualifiers #1)
- BOOM Esports (SEA Qualifiers #2)
- Wildcard (NA Qualifiers)
- HEROIC (SA Qualifiers)
Which teams received direct invites to The International and why?
Returning Champions, Team Liquid, were essential to invite. Their obligation to defend their 2024 title must be fulfilled.
Make no mistake, their invitation is earned regardless. They won PGL Wallachia Season 3 and Season 4 consecutively, defeating Tundra Esports and PARIVISION in the respective finals to achieve this.
PARIVISION have also evidently earned their invitation, recently winning DreamLeague Season 26 in a 3-0 victory over BetBoom Team. They also won ESL One Bangkok in December 2024.
As runners-up to Team Liquid in The International 13 last year, it is unsurprising to see Gaimin Gladiators in the invite pool.
Despite their disappointing 9th-12th finish in 2024, Team Spirit did win The International in 2023. Their performance so far in 2025 has been enough to earn them a direct invite.
BetBoom’s 2025 competitive results are similar to Team Spirit’s, which has helped them return to the competition despite a more lacklustre record at The International in recent years.
Team Falcons has consistently achieved top-five finishes in tournaments in 2025 so far. However, Tundra Esports have twice crushed Falcons’ first-place hopes, defeating them in the finals for Fissure Playground 1 and BLAST Slam III.
All Gamers Global were the only Chinese team to receive a direct invite to the competition. All Gamers Global acquired Team Tidebound during the Asian Champions League in May.
The International 2025 will be the first time the roster competes under their new organisation.
Dota 2 betting enthusiasts favour the invited teams as likely winners. In particular, Team Liquid, PARIVISION, BetBoom, Team Spirit, Team Falcons, and Tundra Esports are seen as a step above the rest of the competition.
Rounding out Dota 2 The International Regional Qualifiers
Regional Qualifiers ran from June 3rd to 17th. There are six regions in total: North America (NA), South America (SA), Western Europe (WEU), Eastern Europe (EEU), China (CN), and Southeast Asia (SEA).
WEU and SEA have two Regional Qualifier slots attached to them. Both the first and second-place teams qualify for The International. The remaining regions have one. Only the winners of these Regional Qualifiers will advance to the main tournament.
NAVI Jr., Nigma Galaxy, and Aurora Gaming qualified from the two European regions. UK-owned org Team Nemesis and BOOM Esports took the top two slots in the SEA Qualifiers. Wildcard and HEROIC qualified from across the Americas.
Xtreme Gaming became the second Chinese team to join The International 2025, joining the only other Chinese team invited, All Gamers Global.
Red Bull’s OG team narrowly missed qualification, losing to Nemiga Galaxy in the WEU Lower Bracket Final.
Both NAVI Jr. and NAVI competed in qualifiers. NAVI Jr. won the WEU qualifier, beating OG in the Upper Bracket Final. However, NAVI lost both the Upper and Lower Bracket Finals in the EEU Qualifier, leaving them without a ticket to The International.
As a result, NAVI Jr. has now been promoted to be the primary NAVI Dota 2 roster.
Despite their stellar DreamLeague Season 26 run, Talon Esports also failed to qualify for The International.
Dota 2 The International 2025 will begin with the Swiss Bracket on September 4th. From September 11th to 14th, the eight remaining teams from the Swiss Bracket will head to the Barclays Arena for the Playoffs.
On September 14th, Dota 2 The International champions will be crowned in Hamburg.
Hannah is a writer specialising in the esports, gaming, and technology sectors. Working for outlets such as Dot Esports, Esports Insider, and of course ENUK, she has developed a love for wider esports and Apex Legends, although it may never surpass her drive to passionately beat her friends in every game of Mariokart. You may have seen her at various esports and gaming events, including ESI London, EGX, Discover: Esports and many League of Legends watch parties.
