DOTA 2 to be played at Esports World Cup

20 Dota teams will battle it out at the Riyadh Masters, which will be part of the Esports World Cup in Saudi Arabia.

Dota 2 is the second official MOBA title and the first PC MOBA to be officially part of the said global tournament, which will be held in July.

In its Facebook page, the Esports World Cup organizers have announced the qualification systems for Riyadh Masters. Teams must earn points throughout this year’s ESL Pro Tour Season, of which the top 8 teams in the EPT leaderboards will punch a direct ticket to Riyadh, while 12 other teams will qualify via regional qualifiers. These regional qualifiers will be held between May and June.

No details have been revealed as of press time about the prize pool, with more expected to be release as the Esports World Cup draws near.

The Riyadh Masters on its own as an event has been conducted since 2022 by ESL and the Saudi Esports Federation. The 2023 Riyadh Masters had a total of US$15 million in prizes, with that year’s champions, Team Spirit, defeating Team Liquid to win US$5 million. It used to be part of the Gamers8 Cup.

Data from Esports Charts shows that the 2023 tournament had close to 600,000 peak viewers during the July 30 finals match between TS and Liquid.

The Esports World Cup is part of Saudi Arabia’s National Gaming and Esports Strategy. “The Esports World Cup is the natural next step in Saudi Arabia’s journey to become the premier global hub for gaming and esports, offering an unmatched esports experience that pushes the boundaries of the industry. The competition will enhance our progress towards realizing the Vision 2030 objectives of diversifying the economy, growing the tourism sector, creating new jobs in various industries, and providing world-class entertainment for citizens, residents, and visitors alike,” said Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman.