The esports world is abuzz as ESL FACEIT lifts the curtain on the initial roster of titans invited to DreamLeague Season 27, marking the grand kickoff of the 2025/2026 ESL Pro Tour (EPT) season. This pivotal Dota 2 tournament promises a spectacle of strategy, skill, and high-stakes drama, setting the tone for the competitive year ahead. With a staggering $1 million prize pool and crucial EPT points on the line, the stage is set for an epic showdown from December 10th to 21st, 2025.
The Elite XI: Who`s In?
Eleven formidable teams have secured direct invitations, bypassing the initial qualifiers and heading straight into the thick of the action. These rosters represent the pinnacle of Dota 2 talent, each bringing a unique blend of aggression, resilience, and tactical prowess. The invited giants include:
- Aurora Gaming
- BetBoom Team
- Heroic
- Nigma Galaxy
- PARAVISION
- Flipster Talon
- Team Falcons
- Team Liquid
- Team Spirit
- Tundra Esports
- Xtreme Gaming
These heavyweights will eventually be joined by eight teams emerging from regional closed qualifiers, and five more from Division 2 Stage 1, culminating in a grand total of 24 teams all vying for glory. The path to the Grand Final is arduous, but the rewards are substantial.
A Confluence of Champions and Contenders
Among the invited, a few names naturally draw significant attention, having recently etched their legacies into Dota 2 history.
Team Falcons, fresh off their triumphant victory at The International 2025 where they famously overcame Xtreme Gaming in a gripping 3-2 Grand Final, arrive as reigning world champions. Their consistency and adaptability make them a formidable threat, a team that seemingly finds a way to win even when the odds are stacked. One might even suggest they`re becoming rather accustomed to collecting trophies, a pleasant habit for them, perhaps less so for their competition.
Not to be outdone, PARAVISION enters DreamLeague Season 27 with an impressive track record from the previous season. They dominated DreamLeague Season 26, sweeping BetBoom Team 3-0 in the Grand Final, securing a quarter-million dollars and solidifying their status. Add to that their victory at ESL One Raleigh 2025 and a commendable third-place finish at The International 2025, and it`s clear PARAVISION isn`t just participating; they`re here to conquer. Their recent form suggests they’ve found a winning formula – a secret sauce, perhaps, that others are still desperately trying to replicate.
Other notable mentions include Team Spirit and Team Liquid, perennial contenders known for their deep understanding of the meta and their clutch playmaking. BetBoom Team and Xtreme Gaming will undoubtedly be looking for redemption, especially after their respective grand final losses to PARAVISION and Team Falcons. The competition is not just about winning; it`s about proving a point, settling old scores, and asserting dominance in a scene that rarely forgives weakness.
The Structure of Supremacy: What to Expect
DreamLeague Season 27 is slated to be an online tournament, running from December 10th to 21st, 2025. The format is designed to test every facet of a team`s capabilities. It kicks off with a rigorous Swiss system Group Stage, featuring best-of-three (Bo3) matches, where consistency is key. Only the strongest will advance to the intense double-elimination Playoffs, a gauntlet where every loss pushes a team closer to elimination. The ultimate test culminates in a thrilling best-of-five (Bo5) Grand Final, where a single victor will claim the lion`s share of the $1 million prize pool, along with 19,500 EPT Points and an additional $250,000 in club rewards.
These EPT Points are not mere vanity metrics; they are the currency of future opportunities. A strong showing here directly influences a team`s standing on the EPT leaderboards, paving the way for invitations to subsequent prestigious events like DreamLeague Season 28 and ESL One. It`s a continuous cycle of competition, where every game, every series, contributes to a team`s trajectory throughout the season.
Gearing Up for a Revamped Season
DreamLeague Season 27 isn`t just another tournament; it signifies the dawn of a revamped 2025/2026 season. ESL FACEIT is clearly signaling an ambitious year for Dota 2 esports, promising fresh challenges and renewed rivalries. Following this inaugural event, the competitive calendar will progress with DreamLeague Season 28 and the highly anticipated ESL One Birmingham, ensuring that fans have a steady stream of top-tier Dota 2 action to look forward to.
For those eager to witness these epic clashes live, all matches from ESL DreamLeague Season 27 will be broadcast on ESL’s official Dota 2 Twitch and YouTube channels. Prepare for two weeks of unparalleled professional Dota 2, as the best teams in the world converge to lay claim to the first major title of the new season. The gauntlet has been thrown, and the battle for Dota 2 supremacy is about to begin.
