Most of us expected the Riyadh Masters 2023 to put an end to all of the big tournaments before The International 12. Considering that many of the world’s best teams were a part of it, we had the opportunity to watch all of them in action.
With that said, it seems like there will be another big event before the arrival of the biggest Dota 2 tournament in the world. DreamLeague Season 21 will take place around 3 weeks from now, and it will have a total of 12 teams. This event will be played on the latest Dota 2 patch, which is good news for all top teams because they will be able to practice.
You need to know many interesting things about this tournament, which is why this DreamLeague Season 21 overview will go over them. Don’t forget to follow us for more information if you don’t want to miss out on everything new.
Contents
DreamLeague Season 21 Review
As mentioned, this Dota 2 tournament will feature 12 teams. It will be in an online format and played on the Europe West server. Despite that, the event will offer a jaw-dropping $1,000,000 prize pool, which makes it one of the most interesting online Dota 2 tournaments.
Four of the 12 teams will be from Western Europe, three will be from Eastern Europe, and one will be from the following regions:
- North America
- Southeast Asia
- South America
The teams received invitations for this tournament based on the ETP Ranking System, which means those with more DPC points receive an invite.
Read more: Dota 2 Patch 7.34 – The Biggest Hero Changes
The tournament will start on 18 September and end on 24 September. During that time, we will have a Group Stage where the teams will be divided into two groups. The matches will be Bo2, and the top two teams from each group will go to the Upper Bracket of the Playoffs. Those that finish 3rd-4th will go to the Lower Bracket, and the remaining squads will be eliminated from the tournament.
Once it’s time for the playoffs, the best teams at DreamLeague Season 21 will play in a classic double-elimination bracket with bo3 matches. The Grand Final will be in a Bo5 format.
The Teams
Even though we do not know the names of the last two teams that will be a part of DreamLeague Season 21, we can see the first 10. As you can expect, the best squads in the world are here, so let’s learn more about them.
Gaimin Gladiators
The first team we’ll have the chance to watch at DreamLeague Season 21 is the most dominant squad in 2023. Gaimin Gladiator is the big favorite in this tournament because it won all tournaments it was a part of besides the Riyadh Masters 2023. Quinn and the rest are also among the big names that will be a part of The International 12, so winning this event will give them even more confidence.
Team Liquid
The second-best team of 2023 will also try its luck here and try to win this fantastic tournament. Although Team Liquid hasn’t been so lucky this year, the club reached numerous Grand Finals. It also eliminated GG from the last event, so it’s safe to say the team will be one of the favorites at this event.
Tundra Esports
The current TI champion will try to make its mark before The International 12. Even though we expected more impressive results throughout 2023, this was not the case because Nine and Co. struggled in most events and are yet to show what they are capable of. Needless to say, DreamLeague Season 21 will be the perfect place for that.
Quest Esports
One of the new teams in Western Europe is also one of the favorites at DreamLeague Season 21. Quest Esports has yet to win a big tournament, but its recent results prove it can work well against most opponents. Remember that this squad also needs to participate in The International 12 qualifiers.
Team Spirit
The squad that won the Riyadh Masters 2023 will try everything possible to win a second tournament. It won’t be easy for the TI 10 champion to do that, but there’s no arguing the team has what’s needed. It will be interesting to see if it will meet its fans’ expectations.
9Pandas
The second team from Eastern Europe that will try to show it’s on par with the rest is 9Pandas. This squad has a pretty exciting roster with a mixture of young and experienced players, which is good. However, we’re yet to see it win a big tournament, so it will be interesting to see what will happen.
BetBoom Team
Speaking of top Eastern European teams, we need to address BetBoom Team. Despite the controversy it was involved in, no one can deny this is one of the best teams in the world right now. BB can rip through everyone, so we must wait and see what will happen.
Talon Esports
The team representing Southeast Asia is Talon Esports, which is probably not surprising to most people. Jabz and the rest have been one of the most consistent Dota 2 teams so far, which makes them an exciting option for DreamLeague Season 21.
Shopify Rebellion
Arteezy’s team hasn’t been able to show what they’re capable of in 2023 and made many mistakes. It’s been a while since a team from North America has won anything, so if SR lifts the trophy here, the team will feel a lot more confident for TI 12.
Evil Geniuses
The last known team at DreamLeague Season 21 so far is Evil Geniuses. The squad from South America achieved consistent results. Even though it is unlikely to win this tournament, it will give the team solid practice before the most important event of 2023.