BLAST Slam VI Playoff teams confirmed as Tundra, Spirit and MOUZ miss Top 6

BLAST Slam VI Play-Ins conclude with major upsets ahead of Malta Playoffs.

The season's first major Dota 2 event nears its peak as BLAST Slam VI wrap up an intense Play-In stage filled with unexpected results and dramatic eliminations. Following the conclusion of the Last Chance Playoffs and the Play-Ins, four teams have successfully secured their spots in the LAN Playoffs in Malta, where they will join OG and Natus Vincere, both of whom had already qualified by finishing in the top two of the BLAST Slam VI Group Stage.

Here’s a breakdown of what unfolded during the Play-Ins–and what to expect from the highly anticipated Playoffs main event, running this 13 to 15 February.

Teams qualified for the BLAST Slam VI Playoffs in Malta

• OG (Top 2 of the Group Stage)
• Natus Vincere (Top 2 of the Group Stage)
• Team Yandex
• Team Falcons
• Heroic
• Team Liquid

Play-Ins deliver shocks as Tundra, MOUZ, and Spirit exit early

Tundra Esports fails to defend their four win streak at BLAST

The biggest storyline of BLAST Slam VI so far has been the stunning elimination of Tundra Esports, whose BLAST win streak came to an abrupt halt at the hands of South American underdogs HEROIC.

Tundra entered the event as a defending champion who had won the last four BLAST events. However, their 2026 campaign writes a different story. Their Group Stage performance was uncharacteristically shaky, with losses to NAVI, OG, Falcons, and Team Spirit raising early concerns.

Those struggles continued into the Play-Ins, where they ran into HEROIC–a team that had already fought through the Last Chance Playoffs by defeating Southeast Asia’s REKONIX 2-0. 

Despite HEROIC’s recent inconsistent form and lower expectations, the South American side showcased relentless aggression, sweeping Tundra 2–0. The result not only ended Tundra’s BLAST streak but also secured HEROIC a spot in the LAN Playoffs in Malta.

North America’s GamerLegion take out season powerhouse MOUZ

Another major upset occurred earlier in the Last Chance Playoffs, where North America’s GamerLegion eliminated MOUZ 2–1. GamerLegion, formerly competing under the Wildcard banner, has been North America’s strongest remaining presence in top-tier Dota 2, though they have often flown under the radar at major events.

After a solid Group Stage run that included notable wins over Falcons, Yandex, and HEROIC, GamerLegion carried that momentum into their series against MOUZ. This feat is even more impressive as MOUZ was notably dominant in the year-end events, winning PGL Wallachia Season 6 among other Top 4 records.

While GamerLegion’s impressive run ultimately came to an end with a loss to Team Liquid in the Play-Ins, their performance marked a significant progress for the squad.

For Team Liquid, the victory represents a positive turning point in a challenging start to the season. The team had previously endured disappointing results, including a failure to qualify for ESL One Birmingham–which marked their first absence from an ESL One event in six years.

Team Spirit records lowest result since TI 2025

Team Spirit’s failure to finish in the top six stands out as a big surprise, marking their first below average placement since The International 2025 last September. 

Their performance throughout BLAST Slam VI indicated major flaws, with the team barely escaping Last Chance Playoffs following a rocky Group Stage performance, to then lose against Yandex in the Play-In round.

Roster instability may have played a key role, with Larl absent, Mirele stepping in as a stand-in, and the recent departure of long-time coach Silent disrupting the team’s synergy.

Team Falcons recovers from a rough start

Meanwhile, Team Falcons managed to weather a turbulent start to the tournament. After suffering multiple Group Stage upsets against teams such as NAVI, OG, and GamerLegion, Falcons regrouped in the Play-Ins, securing a crucial victory over Xtreme Gaming to advance to the Playoffs.

Xtreme Gaming as per usual had been a hard read. The Chinese team looked solid with stand-out victories over OG and Team Spirit during the Group Stage but again, faced a familiar defeat against Falcons to ultimately end their run.

Malta Playoffs is set

The qualified Play-In teams will now join OG and NAVI–both unexpected frontrunners–in Malta for what promises to be an action-packed Playoffs stage. 

The first rounds of Playoffs will see Team Falcons vs Team Liquid and Team Yandex vs HEROIC in the Quarter Final. Both OG and NAVI await in the Semi Final rounds. 

With a fully stacked best-of-five format, the stakes are higher than ever, as a balanced mix of established powerhouses and rising dark horses battle it out in front of Malta’s crowd. One thing is certain: BLAST Slam VI will crown a brand-new champion.

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