BLAST has officially raised the stakes for its next Dota 2 tournament, confirming a major format change for BLAST Slam 6 set to be held in Malta in February 2026.
After listening closely to feedback from participating Dota 2 teams, the tournament organizer has revamped the playoff structure, ensuring that every match delivers maximum competitive depth.
While the group stage and play-ins will retain their established formats, the playoffs are set for a dramatic overhaul. For the first time in BLAST Slam history, all playoff series will be played as best-of-five (BO5), a move that definitely increases the strategic and endurance demands on the remaining teams.
Traditionally, only the grand final features a best-of-five format, while quarterfinals and semifinals are settled in best-of-three series. BLAST Slam VI changes all that, turning every playoff match into a marathon BO5, thus making the journey to the championship a true test of skill, strategy, and stamina.
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Dota 2 BLAST Slam 6 dates and format
BLAST Slam VI will take place in February 2026, with competition spread across three phases: Group stage, play-ins, and playoffs. The event culminates on LAN at the BLAST Studios in Malta, adding extra prestige for the teams that make it through.
Group Stage
- Feb. 3 to 5
- 12 teams compete in single round robin, best-of-one (BO1)
- Top 2 teams advance to semifinals, 3rd-8th to play-ins, 9th-12th to last chance playoff
Play-ins (including last-chance)
- Feb. 6 to 8
- 4 play-in matches plus 2 last-chance matches
- All matches are best-of-three (BO3)
- Winners advance to the playoffs, losers are eliminated
Playoffs
- Feb. 13 to 15
- Single elimination bracket
- 2 quarterfinals, 2 semifinals, and grand final
- All matches are best-of-five (BO5)
With the shift to BO5s for the entire playoff stage, teams boasting deeper hero pools, sharper mid-series adjustments, and seasoned in-game leadership stand to gain a clear advantage. The format change alsp minimizes the chances of one-off upsets we usually witness in double elimination format with BO3 series, placing greater emphasis on consistency and long-term execution.
Dota 2 BLAST Slam 6 teams
The tournament will bring 12 top-tier Dota 2 squads from around the world, mixing direct invites with regional qualifiers to create a competitive field. Here’s the list of all participating teams:
- Tundra Esports
- Team Falcons
- MOUZ
- HEROIC
- Team Yandex
- Direct invite (TBA)
- Direct invite (TBA)
- Direct invite (TBA)
- Europe Qualifier
- Southeast Asia Qualifier
- China Qualifier
- Americas Invite
The Neta “33” Shapira-led Tundra Esports enter the tournament as the winningest team in BLAST history, having won four consecutive titles in five editions.
BLAST Slam VI’s Open Qualifiers across all regions will take place on Jan. 2-3, 2026, running over two days in a single-elimination format with unlimited entries. Early rounds will be best-of-one, while the semifinals step up to best-of-three. The two grand finalists from each region will secure spots in the Closed Qualifiers.
The Closed Qualifiers follow immediately on Jan. 4-5, featuring eight teams per region: four invited squads and four Open Qualifier winners. All matches are best-of-three in a high-stakes single-elimination bracket, with only one team per region punching their ticket to BLAST Slam 6.
