Esports World Cup 2025 (Dota 2) — Group Stage Overview

The Esports World Cup 2025 for Dota 2 kicks off on July 8, and the team groups have already been formed. We invite you to familiarize yourself with the group stage format and the composition of each group. The organizers decided to divide the 16 teams into 4 groups. Let’s see which teams will prove to be the strongest in their groups and come closest to claiming the trophy.

Esports World Cup 2025 Dota 2 Group Stage Format

The first phase of the tournament is the Group Stage, featuring sixteen teams divided into four groups of four. A round-robin format is used at this stage, where each team plays against every other team in its group. All series consist of two maps, which allows for a more accurate assessment of each team's strength and reduces the impact of random outcomes.

Based on the results, teams are distributed as follows: the winners of each group, finishing in first place, advance directly to Phase 3, skipping the additional elimination rounds. Teams that place second continue their journey in the second round of Phase 2, where they will have another chance to fight for a spot in the next phase. Teams that finish third and fourth in their groups proceed to the first round of Phase 2, where they will face elimination matches.

Thus, the group stage plays a crucial role in determining how the teams will move through the tournament. Every point and every map can be decisive, as a team's position in the group affects not only their further path in the bracket but also the level of their opponents in the upcoming rounds.

Esports World Cup 2025 Dota 2 Teams - Group A

The following teams are assigned to Group A of Esports World Cup 2025 Dota 2:

This is one of four groups where teams will face each other in a round-robin format. Based on the results, it will be determined who advances to the playoffs and who is eliminated from the tournament.

• Natus Vincere
• Talon Esports
• Team Spirit
• Xtreme Gaming

A difficult group to predict, but the nominal favorites are Team Spirit. However, any of the teams could surprise, and it's hard to name a clear outsider. По этому пристально следим за группой А и ждем сюрпризов, которые могут привнести и Natus Vincere и Talon Esports и особенно Xtreme Gaming. That's why we're keeping a close eye on Group A and expecting surprises that could come from Natus Vincere, Talon Esports, and especially Xtreme Gaming.

Esports World Cup 2025 Dota 2 Teams - Group B

The following teams are assigned to Group B of Esports World Cup 2025 Dota 2:

Teams in this group will play against each other to decide the strongest ones. The round-robin format means that every win brings important points for progressing to the next stage.

• BB Team
• Execration
• Gaimin Gladiators
• Team Falcons

The situation here is a bit clearer compared to Group A, but only in regard to one team — Execration. They are the clear underdogs of the tournament, and expectations for them are low. However, the inconsistent form of Falcons and Gaimin Gladiators casts doubt on any precise prediction. Therefore, we believe that BB Team is currently showing more stability in their performances and should be highlighted as the favorite. Despite what was said above, Team Falcons could become a very dangerous opponent if they manage to regain at least part of their former form. As for Gaimin Gladiators, with their updated roster, it's not just about getting back into shape — they practically have to rebuild their gameplay from scratch. What they've been showing recently since the arrival of watson and malady is hard to call solid or consistent; more often than not, they win because their opponents make major mistakes, not because they outplay them.

Esports World Cup 2025 Dota 2 Teams - Group С

The following teams are assigned to Group C of Esports World Cup 2025 Dota 2:

The group stage follows a round-robin system. Each team will play every other team in the group, and the final standings will determine who moves on to the playoffs and who drops out.

• Aurora Gaming
• Team Yandex
• Tundra Esports
• VP

If Tundra Esports have addressed their mistakes since the last tournament, they should have no trouble defeating any of the aforementioned teams. However, if that’s not the case, Aurora Gaming will most likely be the closest contender for first place in the group. As for Team Yandex, there’s clearly no reason to expect surprises from them — the team hasn’t been playing together for long, and it would be a stretch to call them a difficult opponent. VP is in a similar situation, though they have more experience playing together compared to Yandex. However, VP still falls short of the top-tier level. Who knows, maybe their new coach, fng (a former VP support), will bring something fresh to the team and help them play with renewed strength.

Esports World Cup 2025 Dota 2 Teams - Group D

The following teams are assigned to Group D of Esports World Cup 2025 Dota 2:

This is the last of the four starting groups. Matches are played in a round-robin format, and the results will decide which teams qualify for the playoff stage.

• Heroic
• PARIVISION
• Shopify Rebellion
• Team Liquid

The clear underdog here is Shopify Rebellion — even Heroic can be placed above them. However, there will be a fierce battle for first place between Liquid and PARIVISION. In their previous encounter in a tournament final, Liquid proved stronger and won 3-0. It will be interesting to see how PARIVISION have worked on their mistakes. For a more detailed analysis of each team’s form in the tournament, we invite you to check out the article Esports World Cup 2025 Dota 2 Teams, which is already available on our website.

Esports World Cup 2025 Dota 2 Group Stage Match Dates

The Group Stage of the Dota 2 Esports World Cup 2025 will take place from July 8 to July 11, marking the beginning of the tournament’s competitive action. During this phase, sixteen of the world’s strongest teams will be divided into four groups of four and will face off in a round-robin format. Each match consists of two games, giving every team a fair chance to prove their consistency and strategy. The top team from each group will secure a direct spot in Phase 3, while the second-place finishers will move on to the second round of Phase 2. The remaining teams will compete in the first round of Phase 2. These early matches will be crucial, as they determine the teams’ paths toward the playoffs and ultimately the championship.