Meanwhile, BetBoom Team and Team Liquid end their runs just shy of the Top 4.

The Playoffs of the Dota 2 competition at the Esports World Cup (EWC) 2025 now charge into the heated semifinals following the elimination of two more teams in the quarterfinals. In a surprising turn of events, Group Stage leaders BetBoom Team and Team Liquid were both knocked out after falling to Tundra Esports and Team Falcons, respectively.

The single-elimination Playoffs matched top seeds from the Group Stage against winners of the Elimination Phase. With no lower bracket to fall back on, the format proved punishing for the final eight contenders, who faced do-or-die matches right from the start of the Dota 2 EWC’s final phase.

On the first day of the Playoffs, reigning champions Gaimin Gladiators and Eastern European all-star squad Aurora Gaming were eliminated. The second day on 17 July saw two more exits, as BetBoom Team and Team Liquid finished in the Top 8, each securing US$125,000 in consolation.

Meanwhile, the winning teams advanced to the semifinals. Tundra Esports will face off against Team Falcons for a spot in the Grand Finals, but not before we witness a highly anticipated clash between Team Spirit and PARIVISION in the first semifinal match.

BetBoom Team 0-2 Tundra Esports

This matchup between two powerhouses may appear evenly balanced, but heading into the series, BetBoom Team carried strong momentum following their recent major victory at PGL Wallachia Season 5. They opened the Dota 2 EWC with a dominant Group Stage performance, topping Group C, which included heavyweights like Team Falcons and Gaimin Gladiators. While Tundra Esports have had the better overall track record this season, BetBoom’s recent results gave them the edge in pre-match expectations.

Here’s how the series unfolded:

The first game kicked off with a questionable Broodmother carry pick from BetBoom, facing off against Tundra’s stronger weapons like Neta “33” Shapira’s Lycan and Bozhidar “bzm” Bogdanov’s Queen of Pain. Despite a slight early-game advantage for BetBoom, Tundra executed more decisive plays, most notably stealing the Aegis at a pivotal moment, which threw BetBoom off their footing. The game ended after 47 minutes with a near-even kill score, but a clear victory for Tundra.

BetBoom responded in game two by evening the series, drafting high-impact crowd control heroes like Matvey “MieRo” Vasyunin’s Earthshaker, Ivan “Pure” Moskalenko’s Monkey King, and Vladislav “Kataomi`” Semenov’s Winter Wyvern. They dominated teamfights and countered Tundra’s engagements effectively, closing out the game with a commanding 31–9 kill score.

The third and final game turned into an epic showdown, with both teams trading skirmishes and outplays. However, BetBoom gradually took control of the gam with map control and a net worth lead, even sieging Tundra’s high ground by the 32-minute mark.

Although the game seemed nearly over, an overextension by BetBoom opened a small window for Tundra to recover. The course of the game shifted when Tundra held their ground, won a crucial late-game fight, and secured the Aegis. With their backs against the wall, Tundra Esports pulled off a stunning comeback to eliminate the red-hot Eastern European juggernaut from the tournament.

Team Liquid 0-2 Team Falcons

The second match pitted the current world champions, Team Liquid, against a struggling Team Falcons. This Western European (WEU) showdown had a clear favorite, as Liquid held the stronger reputation this season. The team had won two PGL Wallachia tournaments and convincingly defeated the season’s top contender, PARIVISION, seven times in a row recently.

Meanwhile, Team Falcons had faltered significantly since November of last year. While the previous season was green for the Middle Eastern organization, this year has told a different story. The team struggled to secure podium finishes, even recording their lowest placements since their formation at PGL Wallachia Season 4 and DreamLeague Season 26.

However, the elimination round at the Dota 2 EWC delivered an unexpected result, as Falcons swept the favored Liquid 2–0. 

Here’s how the series unfolded:

In the first game, Liquid drafted a debatable, non-meta lineup, featuring Windranger in the carry role and Underlord in the offlane. Both heroes were rare picks at the EWC—Windranger had only been picked once prior, by Spirit’s Denis “Larl” Sigitov in the midlane, and Underlord had just three picks, all by Gaimin Gladiators’ Marcus “Ace” Hoelgaard.

Meanwhile, Falcons comfortably selected their signature heroes: Stanislav “Malr1ne” Potorak’s Primal Beast, Ammar “ATF” Assaf’s Timbersaw, and Nature’s Prophet on Oliver “Skiter” Lepko, a strong meta pick. With such a stark difference in drafts, the game quickly tipped in Falcons’ favor as they snowballed to a 39-minute win.

In game two, Liquid adjusted their draft, opting for more meta-relevant picks like Templar Assassin, Batrider, and Warlock. Once again, Falcons stuck to their comfort zone, with ATF on Razor and Malr1ne on Beastmaster. 

But even with a complete switch in drafts, Liquid couldn’t answer Falcons’ lineup and movements. The second game went even more decisively in Falcons' favor, thanks to their strong laning presence and clean teamfight execution, ultimately securing a 2–0 series victory and eliminating Team Liquid from the Dota 2 EWC.

We’re approaching the culmination of the US$3 million Dota 2 tournament at the multi-title Esports World Cup. Only four teams remain, as Team Spirit, PARIVISION, Tundra Esports, and Team Falcons advance to the Semifinals, set to begin on 18 July. 

The winners of each Semifinal round will be the finalists of the event and become the remaining contenders for the tournament title and a million-dollar prize. Meanwhile, the losers of the Semifinals will face each other for the third-place spot.

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