The third major of the 2018-2019 Dota Pro Circuit season is set to start at this week, with sixteen Dota 2 teams fighting it out for the $1 million prize pool and 15,000 DPC points. Organized by DreamHack, the DreamLeague Season 11 is held in Stockholm. The Group Stage begins on March 14, and the Grand Finals take place on March 24. The winning team earns $350,000 plus 4,950 DPC Points.
The tournament is hosted by Jorien “Sheever” van der Heijden along with Jake “SirActionSlacks” Kanner. Analysts and commentators include Henrik “AdmiralBulldog” Ahnberg, Ioannis “Fogged” Loucas, David “Godz” Parker, Admir “LizZard” Salkanovic, Michelle “Moxxie” Song, and Owen “ODPixel” Davies.
The tournament format follows a GSL double-elimination for the Group Stage with all matches being best of three. The top two teams advance to the upper bracket, with the bottom two going to the lower bracket. The playoffs feature a double elimination format with all games being played best of three, except Round 1 of the lower bracket and the Grand Finals. The former is a single-elimination game and the latter features a best of five format.
Here's the CORSAIR #DreamLeagueMajor Groups!
— DreamHack Dota (@DreamHackDota) March 11, 2019
A @teamsecret @TeamLiquid @Team_JStorm @Keen_GamingCN
B @PSGeSports-@LGDgaming @FNATIC @NiPGaming @infamous_gg
C @virtuspro @EHOMECN @mineskiproteam @goforwardgg
D @EvilGeniuses @ViCi_Gaming @ChaosEC @NatusVincere pic.twitter.com/Ec8bX2phnz
For the teams, Group A includes Chongqing Major winner Team Secret playing against Team Liquid, J.Storm, and Keen Gaming. Group B features PSG.LGD, Fnatic, Ninjas in Pyjamas, and Infamous. Group C has MDL Macau 2019 champion Virtus.pro in the same group as EHOME, Mineski, and Forward Gaming. Finally for Group D there is Evil Geniuses, Chaos Esports Club, Natus Vincere, and StarLadder ImbaTV Dota 2 Minor winner Vici Gaming.
TI8 champion OG is not part of the tournament, as they were eliminated by Vega Squadron during the Europe Qualifier.
The major is crucial to participating teams, as the DPC Points awarded here can change the season rankings in just a snap. If Team Secret wins, for example, the organization takes a comfortable lead in the rankings and may even lock in a spot at TI9.
Of the current top 12 teams in the ranking, only TNC and Alliance are not part of the tournament. Alliance was eliminated in the first round of the playoffs during the Europe Qualifier, with TNC also suffering the same fate in the Southeast Asia Qualifier.
After this tournament, Dota 2 teams will start preparing for the MDL Disneyland Qualifier.
