Summary:
- The BLAST Slam VI Playoffs is the final stage of the tournament with six teams competing for the title.
- The event runs from February 13 to February 15 and uses a single-elimination format.featuring best-of-five matches.
- OG and Natus Vincere are already in the semifinals while HEROIC, Team Falcons, Team Liquid, and Team Yandex will compete in the quarterfinals for the two remaining spots.
The Dota 2 competitive scene starts 2026 with one of its biggest events of the season. The BLAST Slam VI Playoffs will take place in Malta from February 13 to 15. Six top teams will battle for their share of a massive $1,000,000 prize pool. After an intense Play-In stage filled with surprising results, everything is ready for an exciting final showdown.
Tournament Format and Prize Distribution
The BLAST Slam VI Playoffs use a single-elimination format. This means one loss sends a team home. Additionally, unlike previous editions, all playoff matches are now best-of-five instead of best-of-three. Now, teams have more room to adjust their strategies and prove their skills. Fans would also get longer and more competitive series to enjoy.
Prize Pool and Distribution
From the total of $1,000,000 USD pool, $750,000 is given as Prize Money and $250,000 is given as Team Earnings. Here’s how this is distributed among the teams:
- 1st place (champions): $300,000 + $100,000 team earnings
- 2nd place: $150,000 + $50,000 team earnings
- 3rd-4th place: $60,000 + $20,000 team earnings
- 5th-6th place: $35,000 + $15,000 team earnings
- 7th-10th place: $22,000 + $6,250 team earnings
- 11th-12th place: $10,000 + $2,500 team earnings
The Qualified Teams
Here’s a quick list of all competing teams in the BLAST Slam VI Playoffs:
Group Stage teams (directly qualified to semifinals)
- Natus Vincere
- OG
Play-In Stage teams:
- HEROIC
- Team Falcons
- Team Liquid
- Team Yandex
OG and Natus Vincere moved straight to the semifinals after finishing first and second in the Group Stage. Because of this, they have more time to rest and study their opponents’ strategies.
On the other hand, Team Falcons, Team Liquid, HEROIC, and Team Yandex had to compete in the Play-In stage to make it to the playoffs. They still need to battle for the last semifinal spots, but their recent matches could give them strong momentum against OG and Natus Vincere.
Quarter-Final Matchups
The playoff bracket begins with two exciting quarter-final matches. Team Falcons will play against Team Liquid in a series that looks like it will be close and focused on strategy. Falcons had a difficult Group Stage but recovered in time to qualify. Liquid, on the other hand, played well and stayed consistent during the Play-Ins.
The second quarterfinal is between Team Yandex and HEROIC. Yandex will play with a stand-in, Malik, who replaces Noticed. This change makes their performance harder to predict. Meanwhile, HEROIC are feeling confident after knocking out former champions Tundra Esports. Because of this, the match could go either way.
Conclusion
After Tundra Esports was eliminated in the Play-Ins, we now know that BLAST Slam VI will crown a new champion. OG and Natus Vincere have already secured spots in the semifinals. The other teams must first win their quarterfinal matches to face them. Which team are you cheering for to take the championship in the BLAST Slam VI Playoffs?
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