DreamLeague Season 27: Schedule, Format, Teams & How To Watch
DreamLeague Season 27 is the first Dota 2 tournament of the ESL Pro Tour 2025/2026 season, debuting with an overhauled format that accommodates even more teams. As the regional qualifiers conclude and Division II Season 2 heats up, the event sets the stage for new rivalries in pursuit of dominance.
Here’s everything you need to know about DreamLeague Season 27, including the schedule, format, teams, prize pool, and where to watch the games.
Editor’s Note: This page was last updated on November 10, 2025. We will update it as new information becomes available.
DreamLeague Season 27 Schedule & Format
DreamLeague Season 27 will run from December 10–21, 2025, and will be held entirely online across two stages: the Group Stage and Playoffs.
Notably, the tournament organizers have replaced the typical round-robin format from Season 26 with a Swiss system to accommodate a larger pool of teams, expanding the event from 16 to 24 teams.
The Group Stage follows a single Swiss System format, with all matches played as a best-of-three series. The first eight teams to win three games qualify for the Playoffs, and the remaining 16 teams will be eliminated.
The Playoffs adopt a double-elimination bracket format. All the matches will be played as a best-of-three series, except the Grand Final, which will be a best-of-five series. This new format promises even greater excitement and unpredictability.
Schedule
This table outlines the full schedule of DreamLeague Season 27, including each stage, its dates, and match times.
| Stage | Teams | Match Date & Time |
|---|---|---|
| Group Stage | 24 Teams (Swiss-system) | December 10–21 (Time: TBD) |
| Upper Bracket Quarterfinals | 8 Teams (Double-elimination) | |
| Upper Bracket Semifinal | 4 Teams | |
| Lower Bracket Semifinal | 2 Teams | |
| Upper Bracket Finals | 2 Teams | |
| Lower Bracket Finals | 2 Teams | |
| Grand Final | 2 Teams |
Note: The official game timings are not available yet. We will update this page as soon as announcements are made.
Prize Pool Distribution
DreamLeague Season 27 features a whopping $1 million prize pool, with $750,000 allocated as prize money and the remaining $250,000 awarded as a Club Reward.
Each team will earn $3,500 and 100 EPT points for each series win in the Group Stage. Teams that don’t qualify for the Playoffs will leave with the money earned during the Swiss Stage plus a fixed club reward of $7,500.
Here’s how the prize money will be split among the participating teams:
| Place | Prize Money | Club Reward | EPT Points |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1st | $200,000 | $30,000 | 3,000 |
| 2nd | $125,000 | $25,000 | 2,500 |
| 3rd | $75,000 | $20,000 | 2,000 |
| 4th | $50,000 | $15,000 | 1,600 |
| 5th-6th | $14,000 | $10,000 | 1,100 |
| 7th-8th | $10,000 | $10,000 | 500 |
| 9th-24th | Earned Per Win | $7,500 | 100 |
| Per Swiss Pass | – | – | 100 |
| Total | $750,000 | $250,000 | 19,500 |
Teams Competing At DreamLeague Season 27
Twenty-four of the world’s best Dota 2 teams will compete at DreamLeague Season 27. Eleven teams have received direct invites based on the Esports World Cup and The International 2025 rankings, joining eight teams from closed qualifiers and five from the newly introduced Division II circuit.
Direct Invites
- Aurora Gaming
- BetBoom Team
- HEROIC
- Nigma Galaxy
- PARIVISION
- Team Falcons
- Team Liquid
- Team Spirit
- Tundra Esports
- Xtreme Gaming
- OG1,2
Qualifiers
- Natus Vincere (Western Europe)
- Virtus.pro (Western Europe)
- Avulus (Western Europe)
- Runa Team (Eastern Europe)
- Yakult Brothers (China)
- BOOM Esports (Southeast Asia)
- Apex Genesis (South America)3
- Chimpanzini Bananini (North America)
- Team Yandix (Division 2 Season 1)
- 1w Team (Division 2 Season 1)
- Pipsqueak+4 (Division 2 Season 1)
- Passion UA (Division 2 Season 1)
- TBD (Division 2 Season 2)
Note: 1 Flipster Talon declined their invite to attend the event. Team Aureus will replace them as the next eligible SEA team. 2 OG acquired Team Aureus and will play in their slot. 3 Wildcard released their roster and will instead compete as Apex Genesis.
DreamLeague Division 2 Circuit
ESL FACEIT Group (EFG) has introduced the DreamLeague Division 2 circuit to strengthen the Tier 2 scene and create clear pathways for aspiring Dota 2 pro players. As a dedicated addition to the EPT ecosystem, it introduces structured competition, better prize money, and allows direct pathways into higher-tier events.
In the current Season 27 cycle, four teams have already qualified from Division 2 Stage 1. Meanwhile, eight aspiring teams are currently competing in Division 2 Stage 2 (November 4–11, 2025) for the final spot to prove themselves against the world’s strongest Dota 2 teams.
How To Watch DreamLeague Season 27
DreamLeague Division 2 Stage 2 will be broadcast on ESL’s official YouTube and Twitch channels. The official broadcast announcement for DreamLeague Season 27 is yet to be released.
FAQs
When and where will DreamLeague Season 27 take place?
DreamLeague Season 27 will take place online from December 10–21, 2025.
What is the ESL Pro Tour in Dota 2?
The ESL Pro Tour (EPT) in Dota 2 is an official competitive circuit organized by ESL, replacing the old Dota Pro Circuit. It features premier tournaments like DreamLeague and ESL One, culminating in the season-ending Esports World Cup (formerly Riyadh Masters).
What is the DreamLeague Season 27 prize pool?
DreamLeague Season 27 features a total prize pool of $1 million, divided as prize money ($750,000) and a Club Reward ($250,000). The winning team will take home $200,000 along with a $30,000 Club Reward and 3,000 EPT points.
Who won DreamLeague Season 26?
PARIVISION won DreamLeague Season 26 after a clean 3-0 sweep over BetBoom Team in the Grand Final. They dominated the tournament throughout, earning $250,000 in prize money, $40,000 in Club Rewards, and 7,200 EPT points.
What are EPT Points and why are they important?
EPT Points are earned by the participating teams through their performance in ESL Pro Tour events. These points are important as they help determine direct invites to major ESL events, most notably the Esports World Cup.
References
- ESL Dota 2 (YouTube)
- ESL_DOTA2 (Twitch)
