Stars align as Nigma Galaxy reverse sweep Aurora Gaming to make it to the Playoffs of The International 2025.

Nigma Galaxy have prevailed in the Elimination Round of The International (TI) 2025, defeating Aurora Gaming 2-1. With this win, they advance to the Playoffs and secure a spot in the Top 8, while Aurora exit the tournament with a 9th–13th place finish.

Coming into the series, Nigma Galaxy had the odds stacked against them. Aurora Gaming had consistently delivered Top 6 finishes at major events this season, including an impressive 4th place at DreamLeague Season 26. Nigma, on the other hand, had barely qualified for top-tier tournaments and seemed to still be finding their footing in the Tier 1 scene. However, this series proved they had what it takes to bring down a stronger, more favored opponent.

Both teams entered TI 2025 through regional qualifiers. While Aurora was widely expected to represent Eastern Europe, Nigma’s qualification marked a major milestone. The team’s high-profile lineup has faced years of setbacks since its formation in 2019–missing multiple TIs, failing to qualify for major events, and enduring a string of roster changes. Just qualifying for this year’s championship felt like a long shot. And yet, here they are, heading to The International’s main stage.

The iconic team, coached by the prominent veteran Kuro “KuroKy” Salehi Takhasomi, will be making an appearance at the main stage of The International, playing in front of the Barclays Arena audience in Hamburg, Germany. The Middle Eastern squad now join Xtreme Gaming, Team Tidebound, BetBoom Team, and Heroic in the Playoffs lineup. The remaining three Playoff spots will be decided in the last Elimination Round matches, set to conclude later today.

Nigma Galaxy reverse sweep Aurora Gaming 2-1 to secure Playoffs

Nigma Galaxy started the elimination series with a struggle against Aurora, mainly due to a major flaw in drafts. Egor “Nightfall” Grigorenko’s Doom effectively shut down Daniel Chan “Ghost” Kok Hong’s Alchemist, restricting his movement and preventing Nigma from grouping up. Aurora capitalized on the advantage and secured the first win.

In the next game, Aurora once again dictated the early pace, picking up valuable kills across the map. But Nigma slowly turned the tide with a series of costly pickoffs that helped them regain footing. The game stretched past the hour mark, and despite multiple setbacks, Nigma eventually played their cards right. Tony “No!ob” Assaf’s Lycan caused chaos in the backlines, Ghost’s Ursa jumped on key targets, and Syed Sumail “SumaiL” Hassan’s Shadow Fiend controlled the battlefield with well-timed ultimates–securing the game and tying the series 1-1.

The deciding game began with both teams trading blows evenly. But while the pace remained close, Ghost’s Medusa quickly built up an overwhelming net worth advantage, pulling far ahead of the other cores. At the 28-minute mark, Nigma confidently launched a high-ground push. Aurora appeared hesitant to respond, and when Nightfall’s Faceless Void finally committed to a Chronosphere, it wasn’t enough to stop the assault. Aurora called GG just four minutes later, ending the game at 32 minutes and securing Nigma Galaxy’s place in the Playoffs.

More eliminations ahead

Aurora’s elimination marks only the second exit of the Elimination Phase, following Yakutou Brothers’ departure yesterday. Three more elimination series are still to be played, as follows:

  • PARIVISION vs Wildcard
  • Team Liquid vs Tundra Esports
  • Team Spirit vs Team Falcons

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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