BLAST Slam V Playoffs: Will Team Falcons soar? China out in Chengdu

Blast Slam V Team Falcons

BLAST Slam V’s Group Stage has concluded, with six of the world’s top Dota 2 teams set to do battle in Chengdu, China, in the Playoffs.

BLAST’s final Dota 2 event of the year has seen interesting developments since it began on November 25th, 2025. While organisations like Team Falcons have continued to dominate, regions like China have been wiped from the competition.

From champions to underdogs, Esports Insider breaks down what to expect from BLAST Slam V’s Playoffs to see which squad will come out victorious.

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Which Teams Have Qualified for BLAST Slam V?

The best players in the tournament will compete from December 5th to 7th, 2025 to secure the lion’s share of a $1m (~£757,000) prize pool. These are all of the teams that have qualified for the BLAST Slam V Playoffs:

  • Team Falcons
  • Tundra Esports
  • OG Esports
  • Team Yandex
  • NAVI
  • MOUZ

China Falling Behind

One of the more surprising developments that occurred during the event is that not a single Chinese team was able to qualify for the Playoffs despite competing on home turf.

This included Yakult Brothers, winners of the BLAST Slam IV China Closed Qualifier, which placed 11th out of 12 teams in the Group Stage. Despite defeating Filipino organisation Execration in the Last Chance Playoff, it was knocked out by MOUZ after losing 1-2 in the Play-In.

Xtreme Gaming is another Chinese team that placed ninth in the Group Stage, losing to teams such as MOUZ, OG Esports and Tundra Esports. It left the competition after losing 1-2 to Team Yandex during the Play-In.

Team Tidebound is one of the strongest Chinese teams in the scene. In the past, it won Clavision Masters 2025 Snow-Ruyi by defeating rosters such as Tundra Esports, BetBoom Team, and Gaimin Gladiators. However, it saw a disappointing end to the competition after being knocked out by NAVI during the Play-In.

Are Team Falcons Above the Competition?

One of the frontrunners of the competition is Team Falcons. The squad has dominated BLAST Slam V so far, topping the Group Stage with a 10-1 win/loss ratio. Team Falcons is seeded in the Semi-finals, facing the winner of the Quarter-finals for a place in the Grand Finals.

Its performance in the competition comes as no surprise to fans and commentators, as 2025 has been the year of the falcon. Before entering the latest BLAST competition, Team Falcons made history after winning The Internationals 2025, securing the lion’s share of a $2.7m (£1.98m) prize pool.

In 2025, Team Falcons achieved notable milestones, including placing first in FISSURE PLAYGROUND 2 after winning 3-1 against BetBoom Team, and finishing as runner-up in the Esports World Cup Dota 2 tournament.

The pressure is on as Team Falcons enters the Playoffs as one of the top teams to beat, but only time will tell whether it will continue its winning streak or fall short.

A Closer Look at The Teams

BLAST Slam V Play-In Day 6 Natus Vincere Dota 2 team graphic
Image credit: BLAST Premier

London-based organisation Tundra Esports has also qualified for the Playoffs. This is an expected result considering the team has won multiple BLAST Slam tournaments this year. The organisation has shown no signs of slowing down so far, placing runner-up in the Group Stage with a 10-1 win-loss ratio, and perhaps stands the best chance of taking down Team Falcons.

The Quarter-finals will see four contenders and potential dark horses fight for a place in the Semi-finals. OG Esports is set to play against Team Yandex, a newcomer that entered the scene earlier this year after acquiring Cyber Goose, the runner-up of The International Eastern Europe Closed Qualifier.

NAVI has also successfully qualified for the Playoffs and will compete against MOUZ in the Playoffs. MOUZ is also a strong contender in the scene, having recently won PGL Wallachia Season 6, establishing itself as one of the top teams in Europe. Both organisations will compete in the hopes of facing Tundra Esports in the Semi-finals.

What Comes Next?

Teams will be competing from December 5th to 7th, 2025, not only for the largest share of the prize pool, but also for one of three qualification spots to BLAST Slam VI in Malta.

The next BLAST Slam tournament is scheduled to run from February 3rd to 15th, 2026, where the top 12 teams from Blast Slam IV, V, and regional qualifiers will once again face off.

Ahead of the next BLAST Slam, DreamLeague Season 27 will run from December 10th to 21st to kickstart the ESL Pro Tour 2025/2026 season.

Source: https://esportsinsider.com/

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