Overview

ESL One Raleigh 2025 is a noteworthy Dota 2 esports tournament taking place from April 7 to 13, 2025, at the Raleigh Convention Center. After a six-year hiatus, ESL is hosting this awaited tournament on American soil. With a significant prize pool of $1,000,000, ESL One Raleigh has attracted attention and anticipation from both players and fans.

Tournament Structure

The tournament comprises a group stage from April 7 to 9 and playoffs from April 10 to 13. For the group stage, twelve teams are divided into two groups, each containing six teams. Following a single round-robin format, matches will be played in a best-of-two setup. The top two teams from each group will then move to the upper bracket of the playoffs, while the third and fourth-ranking teams will advance to the lower bracket. The bottom two teams will be eliminated. The playoffs, scheduled for the final four days, will comprise a double-elimination format with matches played best-of-three except for the grand final, which will be played best-of-five.

Competing Teams

Twelve teams will battle for victory. These include invitations based on the EPT leaderboard, which are PARIVISION, BetBoom Team, Team Falcons, and Team Liquid. Teams that made it through regional qualifiers include Tundra Esports and AVULUS from Western Europe, Team Spirit from Eastern Europe, Nigma Galaxy from MESWA, Team Tidebound from China, Talon Esports from Southeast Asia, Shopify Rebellion from North America, and HEROIC from South America. NAVI Junior was disqualified due to a bug exploit and was replaced by AVULUS.

Schedule Info

The group stage matches will occur between April 7 and 9 with multiple matches each day for both groups, beginning at 9:00 AM UTC. The playoffs will take place from April 10 to 13, concluding with the grand final on April 13.

Prize Distribution

The sum of $1,000,000 will be distributed as follows: the first-place winner will secure $290,000 plus valuable EPT Points. Other placements will receive varying amounts ranging from $25,000 to $175,000.

How to Watch

Fans can watch the tournament live on the official ESL Twitch and YouTube channels. For those who prefer watching in person, there will be on-site experiences available at the Raleigh Convention Center with ticket prices ranging from $99 to $199.

Significance

Being a part of the ESL Pro Tour, this tournament acts as a prelude to The International 2025, thereby carrying much weight in the world of competitive Dota 2. It provides an opportunity for teams to prove their prowess and for viewers to enjoy high-quality Dota 2 gameplay.