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DreamLeague Season 28 Survival Guide: Teams, format, schedule, prize pool

Cristy "Pandora" Ramadani
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15.02.2026
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DreamLeague Season 28 is finally here. Unlike Season 27, which featured 24 teams battling for a share of the $1,000,000 prize pool, the tournament returns to a more compact 16-team format — raising the stakes for every series from the very start.

Several key storylines will shape the opening days of the event.

PARIVISION withdrew from FISSURE Universe: Episode 8 to focus fully on preparation for upcoming competitions, using that time to finalize major internal changes. The team officially welcomed Clement “Puppey” Ivanov as coach, announced the departure of Dmitry “DM” Dorokhin, and introduced 19-year-old Valery “SSS” Lazarev as his replacement. Having only begun his professional career in 2025 with 1W Team, SSS represents a high-risk, high-reward addition that could significantly reshape the team’s dynamic.

paiN Gaming has also re-entered the Dota 2 scene, signing the Peru Rejects roster and immediately investing in infrastructure and European bootcamps to accelerate the lineup’s development. The squad has already traded blows with HEROIC across multiple regional qualifiers this season, and increased organizational support could be the factor that pushes them from contenders to consistent threats.

Momentum will also be a major theme heading into the event. Both NAVI and OG recently secured direct playoff berths at BLAST Slam VI by topping their respective group stage standings. OG followed that performance with a 3–4th place finish, breaking a streak of 5–6th placements, while NAVI currently sit in the grand finals awaiting their title match against Team Liquid. Their recent resurgence adds an additional layer of intrigue as DreamLeague Season 28 begins. The same also applies to Liquid looking to be on fire and possibly having found their grove for the season.

DreamLeague Season 28 opens with only four series:

DreamLeague Season 28 Teams

  • Team Yandex (EPT Leaderboard)
  • Team Spirit (EPT Leaderboard)
  • PARIVISION (EPT Leaderboard)
  • Xtreme Gaming (EPT Leaderboard)
  • OG (EPT Leaderboard)
  • Tundra Esports (EPT Leaderboard)
  • MOUZ (EU qualifier)
  • Team Liquid (EU qualifier)
  • Natus Vincere (EU qualifier)
  • Team Falcons (WEU qualifier)
  • BetBoom Team (EEU qualifier)
  • Execration (SEA qualifier)
  • GamerLegion (NA qualifier)
  • paiN Gaming (SA qualifier)
  • Yakult Brothers (ESL China Challenger)
  • Aurora Gaming (Division 2 Season 3)

DreamLeague Season 28 Format

Group Stage

Group Stage 1

  • February 16 - February 20
  • Two single round-robin groups of eight teams each
  • All series consist of two games
  • Top four teams from each group advance to group stage 2
  • Remaining teams are eliminated

Group Stage 2

  • February 21 - February 27
  • One single round-robin group of eight teams
  • All matches are Bo3
  • Top two teams advance to the upper bracket of the playoffs
  • 3rd and 4th place teams advance to the lower bracket of the playoffs
  • Remaining teams are eliminated

Playoffs

  • February 28 - March 1
  • Double-elimination bracket
  • All matches are Bo3
  • Grand Final is Bo5

DreamLeague Sesaon 28 Prize Pool

The $1,000,000 prize pool will be split as below. Note that just like previously, $750,000 are awarded as Prize Money while $250,000 USD are awarded as Club Reward. The 23,090 EPT Points will be spread among the participants.

  • 1st place $250,000/$40,000/ 4,800 base EPT points
  • 2nd place $100,000/$30,000/4,000 base EPT points
  • 3rd place $80,000/$25,000/3,200 base EPT points
  • 4th place $60,000/$20,000/2,560 base EPT points
  • 5th place $45,000/$15,000/1,920 base EPT points
  • 6th place $35,000/$15,000/1,600 base EPT points
  • 7th place $30,000/$12,500/960 base EPT points
  • 8th place $25,000/$12,500/640 base EPT points
  • 9-10th place $20,000/$10,000/400 total EPT points
  • 11-12th place $17,500/$10,000/200 total EPT points
  • 13-14th place $15,000/$10,000/112 total EPT points
  • 15-16th place $10,000/$10,000/48 total EPT points

DreamLeague Season 28 Broadcasts

Primary

Secondary

Tertiary

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