The Dota 2 community is excited as ESL has announced that its ESL One tournament series will return to North America. ESL One Raleigh 2025 is planned for April 7–13, 2025, and will kick off the new competitive season, which will be a real joy for NA fans.
For pro players, though? The hype is accompanied by practical difficulties.
ESL One Raleigh 2025 Expectations
This is not just another tournament; it is a turning point in the ESL Pro Tour (EPT) 2025 series, where teams will have a unique opportunity to qualify for the Riyadh Masters 2025. As always, ESL will provide the best production that they can offer to make Dota 2 fans satisfied with the event.
The format follows the traditional ESL structure:
- Group Stage: Two single round-robin groups with six teams in each group, all matches being best of two (BO2).
- Playoffs: A double-elimination bracket where matches will be BO3, except for the grand final which should be very intense.
Viewers will be able to watch spectacular matches and high-quality performances in this legendary stadium.
The Challenges of Dota 2 in North America
However, there are some issues with the choice of the host region – North America. International teams have in the past considered the US visa process to be a daunting task to accomplish. Pro players are usually delayed or encounter some issues especially when applying to compete in events where they cannot provide an instant proof of participation.
Both organizers and teams are advising participants to begin the visa processes as early as possible to avoid any last-minute hitches. But for the players who joined the scene relatively recently, like Aleksandr “rue” Filin and Alan “Satanic” Gallyamov from Team Spirit, the situation is still unpredictable. Therefore, fans may witness lineups with stand-ins because of circumstances beyond their control.
Who’s Set to Compete?
The top four teams on the EPT Leaderboard receive direct invites to ESL One Raleigh 2025. At the moment, these spots belong to:
- Team Falcons
- BetBoom Team
- Team Spirit
- PARIVISION
However, this ranking could change significantly after the ESL One Bangkok 2024 event is over.
Other teams like Team Falcons, Team Liquid, and Gaimin Gladiators are less likely to encounter visa problems because their players have had prior exposure to traveling for tournaments. However, new players on teams such as Team Spirit may have some obstacles, which will lead to stand-ins.
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