Dota 2 BLAST Slam VI Playoffs Preview

The playoffs of the first Tier-1 Dota 2 tournament of 2026, BLAST Slam VI, will begin on February 13. The main event will bring together the 6 strongest teams, who will compete for the championship title and a significant share of the $1 million prize pool. The matches will be played in a new format for the series, which provides longer game series and eliminates team luck. In this blog, we will tell you everything about the BLAST Slam VI Playoffs, including dates, participating teams, format, and prize pool.

BLAST Slam VI Playoffs Format and Dates

The BLAST Slam VI Playoffs will take place from February 13 to February 15, 2026, in Malta. This is the first Tier-1 tournament of the year, so the teams will definitely play at their maximum level.

BLAST Slam VI Playoffs format:

• Single-elimination bracket
• All matches are Bo5

Previously, at all BLAST Slam tournaments, all playoff matches except the grand final were played as Bo3, at this tournament, all matches will be Bo5. Although this makes the game series longer, it allows for a more accurate determination of the stronger team.

Participating Teams

6 teams will play in the BLAST Slam VI Playoffs — the top 2 teams from the Group Stage and 4 teams that won in the Play-In. Here’s the full list of participants:

• OG
• NAVI
• Team Falcons
• Team Liquid
• HEROIC
• Team Yandex

OG — one of the main sensations of this tournament. In the previous season, after roster changes, the team significantly improved and reached the playoffs of several Tier-1 tournaments. At BLAST Slam VI, OG continue to demonstrate a high level of play and finished the Group Stage with a 7–4 record, which allowed them to take 2nd place in the group.

NAVI — were not favorites before the start of the tournament but unexpectedly became the winners of the Group Stage. In the previous season, the team moved the NAVI Junior roster to the main lineup and changed the coach, which improved their results.

Team Falcons — winners of The International 2025 and medalists of previous BLAST Slam tournaments. In the Group Stage, the team performed below expectations with a 6–5 record, and in the Play-In they managed to defeat Xtreme Gaming and qualify for the playoffs.

Team Liquid — are performing at a solid level at BLAST Slam VI. In the Group Stage, the team achieved 7 wins and 4 losses, and in the Play-In they defeated GamerLegion. Currently, Team Liquid are one of the main favorites to win.

HEROIC — although they did not achieve high results in the first stage of the tournament, they secured victories against several strong opponents. In the Last Chance Playoff, HEROIC defeated Rekonix, and in the Play-In they shocked everyone by defeating Tundra Esports, who are four-time consecutive BLAST Slam tournament winners.

BLAST Slam VI Prize Pool

The BLAST Slam VI Playoffs stand out not only for their format and lineup of participants but also for the opportunity to win significant prizes. The tournament has a prize pool of $1,000,000 USD, and a significant amount will go to the teams that reached the playoffs.

In addition, the tournament has a structured prize distribution system that guarantees both organizations and players receive a fair share of the winnings. Here is how the BLAST Slam VI prize pool is distributed:

Don’t miss this event! Watch the official BLAST Slam VI broadcast on Twitch and YouTube at the scheduled time and cheer for your favorite teams!