BLAST Slam VII preview - Key teams and storylines to watch out for

BLAST Slam VII results will help shape expectations for teams ahead of the upcoming pinnacle events.

No rest for the wicked – the next major Dota 2 tournament is already here. From 26 May to 7 June, BLAST Slam VII will deliver a Tier 1 Dota 2 action with the standard US$1 million prize pool and twelve elite teams competing live in BLAST’s Copenhagen studio.

The tournament comes right after the conclusion of DreamLeague Season 29, which crowned PARIVISION as champions following a close 3-2 finals against Aurora Gaming. With only a two-day gap between DreamLeague Season 29 and BLAST Slam VII, we can largely expect similar results and a familiar meta.

But don’t sigh just yet–there are several key storylines that make BLAST Slam VII especially interesting. The most obvious is the timing of the event, being the final Tier 1 showdown before teams enter the gruelling qualifier stretch for the biggest tournaments of the year.

This will be at the Dota 2 Esports World Cup, set to take place in Paris, France from 6–18 July. The even more significant The International 2026 follows shortly after, taking place in Shanghai, China from 13-23 August.

BLAST Slam VII will greatly shape expectations in the pinnacle events. Beyond the stakes, fans can also look forward to BLAST’s slightly tweaked format, returning squads, and fresh names in the participant pool.

Here are all twelve teams competing in BLAST Slam VII:

BLAST Slam VII

Type: Offline
Schedule: 26 May - 7 Jun, 2026
Participating teams: 12
Prize pool: US$1 million
Organiser: BLAST

Who are the favourites of BLAST Slam VII?

Team Falcons enter BLAST Slam VII as one of the favourites (Image: BLAST)

It has been difficult to properly set expectations in recent Tier 1 events, because, unlike previous years, the current season has produced an unusually colourful list of winners. From Team Falcons to MOUZ, to Tundra Esports, then Team Yandex, and more–most teams in the top bracket now seem to have an almost equal odds of reaching the summit.

With DreamLeague Season 29 still fresh, it is safest to regard the podium finishers as the leading contenders. Champions PARIVISION have been remarkably stable and consistently able to adapt quickly to turn losing situations around.

Aurora Gaming may not have earned gold just yet, but the team have been incredibly consistent since reuniting their roster last month, earning back-to-back runner-up finishes. They are building strong momentum, and this could finally be the event where Aurora break through.

A big threat to the two would be Team Spirit and Team Falcons. Team Spirit impressed with a third-place result despite a last-minute roster change, swapping out Nikita “Panto” Balaganin with Kosmynin “notme” Alexey.

It is impossible to overlook the reigning world champions Team Falcons either. The squad remains among the Top 3 of our rankings, thanks to their immense consistency across recent events.

A top-half contender bracket

Team Yandex enter BLAST Slam VII as one of the potential top teams (Image: BLAST)

Team Liquid would be the closest behind the favourites, however, expectations have dipped following their 9th–12th-place finish at DreamLeague Season 29.

Team Yandex did not attend DreamLeague Season 29, and we have no choice but to refer to their last showing, which was a disastrous bottom-place finish at PGL Wallachia Season 8. Their inactivity has only raised more questions about how they will perform here.

Somehow, Tundra Esports are in a similar position. After dominating the early stages of the season, they have unexpectedly stumbled in recent events, crashing out at PGL Wallachia Season 8 before posting relatively disappointing Top 6 and Top 8 finishes afterwards. It remains unclear whether they can recover quickly for this event.

BetBoom Team has yet again failed to turn their recent tournament victory into any momentum, ending their DreamLeague Season 29 run in the Top 8. Nevertheless, they remain strong contenders for a top-half finish. The same can be said for Xtreme Gaming, who continue to be an unpredictable threat.

Ex-HEROIC may have endured a rough run at DreamLeague Season 29, particularly without Adrian “Wisper” Cespedes Dobles, who was taking a break. However, with his return and more time to adjust, the team could be primed for a stronger showing this time around.

A chance for the underdogs to adapt

OG are among the weaker field in BLAST Slam VII (Image: BLAST)

The final two teams sitting lower on our expectations tier are OG and GLYPH.

OG have endured a whiplash-inducing season, going from regular Top 6 finishes to disappearing from events entirely. Most recently, they failed to top the SEA qualifier for DreamLeague Season 29 despite adding TI10 champion Alexander “TORONTOTOKYO” Khertek to the lineup. Still, there is hope that the squad have had enough time to adjust.

On paper, GLYPH appear to be the weakest team at the event. The new stack, featuring several familiar Southeast Asian stars, will be competing together at Tier 1 level for the first time. BLAST Slam VII should serve as a low-pressure run for the squad but they could use it as preparation ahead of the upcoming qualifier stretch.

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Author

Sarah "KZ" ZulkifleeSarah “KZ” Zulkiflee writes for GosuGamers, where she channels a long-standing obsession with Dota 2 into her work. While still often lost in the depths of MMR grinding, she has been actively experimenting with games across every genre imaginable. Six years into her career, she still wonders how she miraculously ended up in her dream industry. Anyway, she’s just happy to be here.