Look Sports Media – Tundra Esports, the London-based Dota 2 powerhouse, has sent shockwaves through the competitive scene by withdrawing from DreamLeague Season 26. This surprising decision, announced via X last week, prioritizes much-needed rest for the team ahead of the lucrative Esports World Cup 2025. With their World Cup spot already secured, Tundra opted to forgo DreamLeague, a choice that comes with a minor penalty: a 20% deduction of their EPT points, impacting their World Cup seeding. However, their comfortable lead in the qualification standings ensures their World Cup participation remains unaffected.
Replacing Tundra in the Tier 1 tournament, running from May 19th to June 1st, will be Team NAVI Junior, an academy team from Natus Vincere. While sacrificing DreamLeague, Tundra remains active, currently competing in BLAST Slam #3, a tournament they won in February, securing a hefty $400,000 prize. Their impressive 2025 earnings already exceed $1.3 million, thanks to podium finishes in DreamLeague S25, PGL Wallachia S3, ESL One Raleigh 2025, and PGL Wallachia S4. The potential $70 million prize pool at the Esports World Cup could significantly boost their already substantial winnings.
The team’s roster—Remco "Crystallis" Arets, Bozhidar "bzm" Bogdanov, Neta "33" Shapira, Matthew "Whitemon" Filemon, and Martin "Saksa" Sazdov—are all focused on their current BLAST Slam #3 campaign. This strategic decision highlights Tundra’s long-term vision, prioritizing player well-being and peak performance for the World Cup’s monumental prize pool over immediate tournament participation. The move underscores the increasing importance of player health and strategic planning in the demanding world of professional Dota 2. The question remains: was this a calculated risk that paid off, or a gamble that could have backfired spectacularly? Only time will tell.
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