Southeast Asia has always been an essential player at every big Dota 2 event, especially The International. MENA, on the other hand, is relatively new, but it has some of the most promising Dota 2 teams. It’s safe to say that both regions are some of the dark horses at TI 2025, so it’s time to reveal both of them.
Contents
MENA & SEA – Key Moments at The International
Since MENA is the newest region in Dota 2, it does not have as much history as SEA regarding The International. In fact, Team Falcons is the only team from the region to compete there, and this took place in 2024. Interestingly, the Falcons were the big favorites after winning almost all events before that, but the team ended up finishing 4th.
As for Southeast Asia, the region has always been present at TI but never managed to win or even reach the Grand Final. Scythe Gaming came close in 2011 after reaching 3rd place and the same happened to Orange Esports in 2013.
With that being said, SEA Dota 2 teams have always been difficult to play against. Despite being the underdogs, many have proven they can bring down even the best in the world.
Southeast Asia & MENA at The International 2025
Starting with MENA, this was the only Dota 2 region that did not get its own qualifiers. Technically, we will see two teams from this part of the world – Nigma Galaxy and Team Falcons. As for Southeast Asia, the region will offer BOOM Esports and Team Nemesis. Interestingly, SEA did not get a single direct invitation, so both of the teams had to win their slot from the qualifiers.
Team Falcons
No one can deny that TF seems to be in a much better state than the two. Some Dota 2 fans may have forgotten, but Team Falcons was considered to be one of the best in the world in 2024. Nowadays, the situation is slightly different, but TF remains a constant threat.
Nigma Galaxy
While TF received a direct TI 14 invite, Nigma Galaxy had to play in the qualifiers. Since MENA did not have its own quals, the team played in Western Europe and earned its spot among the 16 best teams in the world.
BOOM Esports
Most people were not surprised by BOOM’s success because it’s been one of the strongest teams there for a while. BOOM’s current draft offers a great mixture of new and experienced players, so we expect them to perform well at TI 2025.
Team Nemesis
Although most fans were not surprised by BOOM Esports, the same can’t be said about Team Nemesis. To be fair, people expected to see Talon Esports, but Team Nemesis’s amazing performance allowed the Filipino squad to secure the last SEA slot. This will be their first TI, so we can’t wait to see the results.
TI 2025 Predictions – Is it Possible for MENA & SEA To Win?
As much as we like both regions, neither is in a good state prior to The International 2025. Team Flacons seems to have the best chances at lifting the Aegis (bookies agree because some give it solid odds), but the team has not been in good form in 2025.
Predicting what could happen is not easy, but if we have to guess, we believe MENA will have a team among the top five. Many people seem to underestimate NGX, but Nigma has experienced players (including TI winners).
As for SEA, we don’t think that BOOM Esports or Team Nemesis have any real chances of succeeding. In fact, it is very likely that one of the two (if not both) gets eliminated in the Group Stage.
Closing Thoughts – Can the Dark Horses Surprise Everyone?
Among the reasons why Dota 2’s so fun to play and watch is because of its unpredictability. This is one of the games where absolutely everything is possible, so there’s always a chance for the dark horses to surprise everyone. We will just have to wait to see if this will be the case.
Don’t forget that The International 2025 starts in just 3 days from now. Make sure to follow Blix.gg for more details.
