Dota 2’s DreamLeague S21 is underway to whet the appetite of fans before The International 2023. Here is everything you need to know about the $1 million tournament.
With TI 2023 still a few weeks away, ESL is running a shortened version of DreamLeague, featuring 12 teams from all over the world and a $1 million prize pool. Running only for seven days, DreamLeague Season 21 will be the last premier Dota 2 competition before The International begins.
Due to schedule constraints, the tournament will feature a different format than what the Dota 2 community has gotten used to. Still, there will be non-stop action to keep fans entertained as the countdown to TI enters its final weeks.
The DreamLeague you know and love is BACK with Season 21!💰 $1,000,000 Prize Pool🏆 12 of the best #ESLProTour teams 🔴 September 18th-24th⚔️ NEW format🤩 SAME VIBESJoin us to witness the 🐼 PogChamp Pandas 🎶 in action once again (the dota will also be pretty good)! pic.twitter.com/omCZ0QoQ0C
— ESL Dota2 (@ESLDota2) August 24, 2023
Below you can find everything you need to know about DreamLeague S21. This article will be updated as more information becomes available.
DreamLeague S21: How to watch
The tournament will be streamed live on ESL’s Dota 2 Twitch channel, which we have embedded below.
Other streams:
DreamLeague S21: Dates and format
Group Stage (September 18-20):
- 12 teams are split into two single round-robin groups.
- All matches are Bo2.
- Top 2 teams from each group advance to the upper bracket.
- Teams that finish 3rd and 4th advance to the lower bracket.
- Bottom 2 teams from each group are eliminated.
Playoffs (September 21-24):
- Double-elimination bracket with the remaining 8 teams.
- All matches are Bo3, except the grand final (Bo5).
DreamLeague S21: Schedule and results
Playoffs
Day 1: September 21
| Stage | Match | PT | ET | GMT |
| Upper Round 1 | Shopify Rebellion 2-1 BetBoom | 6:30 AM | 9:30 AM | 2:30 PM |
| Upper Round 1 | Tundra 0-2 Spirit | 10 AM | 1 PM | 6 PM |
Day 2: September 22
| Stage | Match | PT | ET | GMT |
| Lower Round 1 | Entity 2-1 Gaimin Gladiators | 3 AM | 6 AM | 11 AM |
| Lower Round 1 | 9Pandas 0-2 OG | 6:30 AM | 9:30 AM | 2:30 PM |
| Lower Round 2 | BetBoom 2-0 Entity | 10 AM | 1 PM | 6 PM |
Day 3: September 23
| Stage | Match | PT | ET | GMT |
| Lower Round 2 | Tundra 1-2 OG | 3 AM | 6 AM | 11 AM |
| Upper Round 2 | Shopify Rebellion 1-2 Spirit | 6:30 AM | 9:30 AM | 2:30 PM |
| Lower Round 3 | BetBoom 2-0 OG | 10 AM | 1 PM | 6 PM |
Day 4: September 24
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| Stage | Match | PT | ET | GMT |
| Lower Final | BetBoom 1-2 Shopify Rebellion | 3 AM | 6 AM | 11 AM |
| Grand Final | Spirit 3-0 Shopify Rebellion | 7 AM | 10 AM | 3 PM |
Group Stage
Green = Qualified for playoffs’ upper bracket. Yellow = Qualified for lower bracket. Red = Eliminated.
Group A
| Placement | Team | Record |
| 1 | Shopify Rebellion | 3-2-0 |
| 2 | Tundra | 3-1-1 |
| 3 | Entity | 2-2-1 |
| 4 | 9Pandas | 2-1-2 |
| 5 | Liquid | 0-2-3 |
| 6 | Talon Esports | 0-2-3 |
Group B
| Placement | Team | Record |
| 1 | Team Spirit | 4-1-0 |
| 2 | BetBoom | 2-3-0 |
| 3 | Gaimin Gladiators | 2-1-2 |
| 4 | OG | 1-3-1 |
| 5 | Quest | 0-2-3 |
| 6 | Evil Geniuses | 0-2-3 |
Day 3: September 20
| Stage | Match | PT | ET | GMT |
| Group A | Liquid 0-2 Tundra | 3 AM | 6 AM | 11 AM |
| Group A | Shopify Rebellion 2-0 Talon | 3 AM | 6 AM | 11 AM |
| Group A | Entity 2-0 9Pandas | 3 AM | 6 AM | 11 AM |
| Group B | EG 1-1 BetBoom | 5:30 AM | 8:30 AM | 1:30 PM |
| Group B | OG 0-2 Spirit | 5:30 AM | 8:30 AM | 1:30 PM |
Day 4: September 21
Note: Due to power issues in Quest’s camp, their group match against Gaimin Gladiators has been postponed to Thursday.
| Stage | Match | PT | ET | GMT |
| Group B | Gaimin Gladiators 2-0 Quest | 2:30 AM | 5:30 AM | 10:30 AM |
Previous results:
Day 1: September 18
| Stage | Match | PT | ET | GMT |
| Group A | Liquid 0-2 9Pandas | 3 AM | 6 AM | 11 AM |
| Group A | Tundra 2-0 Talon | 3 AM | 6 AM | 11 AM |
| Group A | Entity 1-1 Shopify Rebellion | 3 AM | 6 AM | 11 AM |
| Group B | Gaimin Gladiators 0-2 Spirit | 5:30 AM | 8:30 AM | 1:30 PM |
| Group B | Quest 0-2 BetBoom | 5:30 AM | 8:30 AM | 1:30 PM |
| Group B | OG 2-0 EG | 5:30 AM | 8:30 AM | 1:30 PM |
| Group A | Tundra 0-2 Shopify Rebellion | 8 AM | 11 AM | 4 PM |
| Group A | Talon 0-2 9Pandas | 8 AM | 11 AM | 4 PM |
| Group A | Entity 2-0 Liquid | 8 AM | 11 AM | 4 PM |
| Group B | OG 1-1 Gaimin Gladiators | 11:30 AM | 1:30 PM | 6:30 PM |
| Group B | BetBoom 1-1 Spirit | 11:30 AM | 1:30 PM | 6:30 PM |
| Group B | Quest 1-1 EG | 11:30 AM | 1:30 PM | 6:30 PM |
Day 2: September 19
| Stage | Match | PT | ET | GMT |
| Group A | Talon 1-1 Liquid | 3 AM | 6 AM | 11 AM |
| Group A | Entity 0-2 Tundra | 3 AM | 6 AM | 11 AM |
| Group A | 9Pandas 0-2 Shopify Rebellion | 3 AM | 6 AM | 11 AM |
| Group B | BetBoom 2-0 Gaimin Gladiators | 5:30 AM | 8:30 AM | 1:30 PM |
| Group B | OG 1-1 Quest | 5:30 AM | 8:30 AM | 1:30 PM |
| Group B | Spirit 2-0 EG | 5:30 AM | 8:30 AM | 1:30 PM |
| Group A | Shopify Rebellion 1-1 Liquid | 8 AM | 11 AM | 4 PM |
| Group A | 9Pandas 1-1 Tundra | 8 AM | 11 AM | 4 PM |
| Group A | Entity 1-1 Talon | 8 AM | 11 AM | 4 PM |
| Group B | Spirit 2-0 Quest | 11:30 AM | 1:30 PM | 6:30 PM |
| Group B | OG 1-1 BetBoom | 11:30 AM | 1:30 PM | 6:30 PM |
| Group B | EG 0-2 Gaimin Gladiators | 11:30 AM | 1:30 PM | 6:30 PM |
DreamLeague S21: Teams and rosters
DreamLeague S21 will feature 12 teams hailing from Western Europe, Eastern Europe, North America, South America, and Southeast Asia. The invites were based on the ESL Pro Tour ranking system.
According to ESL, Chinese teams aren’t attending the tournament because of a conflicting schedule.
Note: TA2000 will miss some matches due to a visa delay, with Shad filling in for him.
| Team | Players |
| Team Liquid | miCKe, Nisha, zai, Boxi, Insania |
| Gaimin Gladiators | dyrachyo, Quinn, Ace, tOfu, Seleri |
| Tundra Esports | skiter, topson, 33, Nine, Sneyking |
| Quest | Shad, No!ob, Tobi, OmaR, kaori |
| Entity | watson, Stormstormer, Gabbi, Kataomi`, Fishman |
| OG | Yuragi, bzm, MinD_ContRoL, Ceb, Kitrak |
| Team Spirit | Yatoro, Larl, Collapse, Mira, Miposhka |
| 9Pandas | RAMZES666, kiyotaka, MieRo`, Antares, Solo |
| BetBoom | Nightfall, gpk~, Pure~, Save-, TORONTOTOKYO |
| Talon Esports | 23savage, Mikoto, Jabz, Q, Oli~ |
| Shopify Rebellion | Arteezy, Abed, SabeRLight-, Cr1t-, Fly |
| Evil Geniuses | Pakazs, Chris Luck, Wisper, Matthew, Panda |
DreamLeague S21: Prize and standings
| Placement | Team | Prize Money (USD) |
| 1 | Team Spirit | $300,000 |
| 2 | Shopify Rebellion | $175,000 |
| 3 | BetBoom | $120,000 |
| 4 | OG | $85,000 |
| 5-6 | Entity | $57,500 |
| Tundra Esports | ||
| 7-8 | Gaimin Gladiators | $47,500 |
| 9Pandas | ||
| 9-10 | Evil Geniuses | $30,000 |
| Team Liquid | ||
| 11-12 | Quest | $25,000 |
| Talon Esports |