Team Tidebound and BetBoom Team have joined Xtreme Gaming as the Top 3 teams directly advancing to the Playoffs of The International 2025.

The Dota 2 world championship, The International (TI) 2025, has wrapped up Round 5 of the Swiss-format Group Stage, finalizing the Top 3 teams that advance directly to the Playoffs. Xtreme Gaming convincingly secured its slot earlier with a flawless 4-0 score. Four teams then fought for the two remaining Playoff slots in the closing matches of the Group Stage. Ultimately, Team Tidebound defeated Team Falcons while BetBoom Team took down PARIVISION to secure their Playoffs ticket.

Both Xtreme Gaming and Team Tidebound have been irrefutable so far, showing elevated gameplay reminiscent of the old Chinese domination pre-2022. Throughout this season, they haven't had many promising results, at least not enough to push them as the biggest favorites. But now, they have blasted out of the gates and surpassed expectations. 

With two Chinese teams now in front-runner positions to hoist the Aegis of Champions, many are excited to see the long-awaited end to China’s seven-year title drought.

BetBoom Team also shares an intriguing storyline as they become the first Eastern Europe (EEU) representative coming to the Playoffs. Hailing from a stacked region, many were eyeing either Team Spirit or PARIVISION over BetBoom, as the two boasted a better track record this season. Although BetBoom have stayed consistent among the world's best teams, they couldn't quite reach the status of top contenders for the title. But after besting PARIVISION in a high-stakes Group Stage match, they look in form to win their first world championship.

Tidebound take down Falcons 2-1 in grueling comeback

The Tidebound vs. Falcons series delivered an epic opener. Falcons heavily dominated the first game, but struggled to close it out despite a massive advantage—thanks to a powerful Xuanang “Shiro” Guo’s Medusa guarding the base. There were windows of a potential comeback, but Falcons played with patience, chipping away at the base cautiously. Eventually, Falcons successfully ended game one at 74 minutes with an 84K net worth lead—the highest of the tournament so far.

In the second game, Falcons continued their reign over the map with aggressive pick-offs and map control. But a mid-game altercation revealed miscoordination from Falcons, and Tidebound quickly latched onto the opportunity. This allowed them to grab valuable kills and stabilize. Although both teams looked equally strong in the late game, Tidebound showed their decision-making prowess with Zhang Zhang “Bach” Ruida’s Centaur Warrunner utilizing its cart for clutch saves, and Hao “plAnet” Lin’s Ancient Apparition spamming Ice Blast from base to continuously disrupt Falcons’ defense. Tidebound evened the series with a 71-minute victory and this incredible comeback fueled them in the deciding game. With Tidebound ablaze, and Falcons' spirit dimming, the third game turned out to be a solid 58 minute victory for the Chinese veterans.

BetBoom prevail 2-1 against favourites PARIVISION

The BetBoom-PARIVISION matchup was no less exciting. Even though the first and second games were one-sided wins from both teams, the third and deciding match boiled down to a late-game showdown, where BetBoom pulled off an intense comeback.

In the first game, BetBoom controlled the map from the start and easily dominated PARIVISION. Ivan “Pure” Moskalenko’s Monkey King finished deathless at 6/0/7, completely untouchable throughout the game. In the second game, PARIVISION returned to drafting around Satanic’s signature Templar Assassin, which proved to be a successful pick.

However, the third game was a completely different scenario. After a back-and-forth 40 minutes, both teams played cautiously and avoided major engagements. During this period, PARIVISION rapidly racked up a 30K net worth lead. But when a full-blown fight finally broke out as both sides prepared to contest the 62-minute Roshan, BetBoom emerged stronger, courtesy of their substantial crowd control. Pure’s Faceless Void unleashed spot-on Chronospheres while Danil “gpk” Skutin’s Earthshaker landed constant stuns—leaving PARIVISION unable to respond. The game ended at 67 minutes with a brutal net worth swing in BetBoom’s favor.

While Team Tidebound and BetBoom Team join Xtreme Gaming in the Playoffs, Team Falcons and PARIVISION will have to fight for their tournament lives in the Elimination Phase. Others in the same boat include Aurora Gaming, Heroic, Team Liquid, Team Spirit, Tundra Esports, Nigma Galaxy, Yakutou Brothers, and Wildcard.

For more information on the biggest Dota 2 tournament of the year, check out GosuGamers' guide to this year's Dota 2 world championship tournament and TI 2025 tournament tracker.

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