Cover-Credits:
Tundra Esports and Valve
The closed qualifiers for DreamLeague Season 22 are set to commence on January 15th, with teams vying for a spot in the main tournament, which starts on February 25th. The Eastern European (EEU) and Chinese (CN) regional qualifiers already began on January 13th. A notable matchup in the Western European (WEU) region features Tundra Esports, the champions of The International (TI), going head-to-head with Team Secret in the first round of the qualifiers. With the introduction of the EPT points system (ESL Pro Tour points), there's more at stake than just prize money. Teams are gearing up to compete more fiercely than ever for a chance to participate in ESL tournaments.
Tundra Esports vs. Team Secret
In the first round of matches at the DreamLeague Season 22 Western European (WEU) qualifiers, set for January 15th, Tundra Esports, the champions of The International (TI), will clash with one of Dota 2's most enduring teams, Team Secret. Tundra Esports, boasting a revamped lineup, has already demonstrated its strength by dominating the open qualifiers to secure a spot in the closed qualifiers. Meanwhile, Team Secret, having undergone several roster changes, received a direct invitation to the closed qualifiers.
The victor of the Tundra Esports vs. Team Secret match will progress to the next round, where they will compete against the winner of the Entity vs. Team wkwkwk matchup. The team that triumphs in the second round will qualify for the main tournament.
The losing team in the Tundra Esports vs. Team Secret match will be relegated to the lower bracket. In order to qualify for the main tournament, they must win three series, as opposed to the two series required in the upper bracket.
The Eastern European (EEU) and Chinese (CN) closed qualifiers began on January 13th. In the EEU qualifiers, Team Spirit defeated Klim Sani4 and Na’Vi, securing a spot in the main stage. In the CN region, Azure Ray overcame Titan and will face G2.iG, which advanced after beating Team Zero. Team Bright emerged victorious against Team Aster, while LGD Gaming defeated Go Along and Team Bright.
Before the DreamLeague Season 22 qualifiers, Tundra Esports and Team Secret are also set to compete at the BetBoom Dacha 2024 Dubai qualifiers. In the lower bracket final, Team Secret, having been defeated by OG, will face Tundra Esports. The winner of this series will then challenge OG in the qualifying match.
With the introduction of ESL Pro Tour (EPT) points, teams are more motivated than ever to earn a spot in ESL-organized tournaments, as EPT points are crucial for securing invitations to future events. At DreamLeague Season 22, four teams received direct invites to the main tournament based on their EPT Leaderboard standings. These teams are BetBoom Team, Team Liquid, Xtreme Gaming, and Gaimin Gladiators.
Xtreme Gaming's high standing in the leaderboards, despite a recent period of inactivity, is attributed to the transfer of three players from ESL One Kuala Lumpur 2023 Champions, Azure Ray. This transfer resulted in Xtreme Gaming inheriting 4000 EPT points from Azure Ray, subject to a 30% penalty, resulting in a total of 3360 EPT points for Xtreme Gaming, while Azure Ray's EPT points were reset.
