PARIVISION and Team Spirit move forward at DreamLeague Season 29 as TI invite race tightens

With The International 2026 qualifiers expected to begin in June and the main event set for August, teams are now entering the uncomfortable stretch where every tournament result feels weighted against an invisible standard. Valve has yet to announce direct invites for TI, and speculation continues to grow that DreamLeague Season 29 could heavily influence the final decisions.

Well-known Dota 2 statistician and data analyst Ben “Noxville” Steenhuisen recently published his own projected TI invite calculations and formulas, attempting to estimate which teams currently sit inside or outside the likely threshold. While Valve’s actual criteria remains unknown, the projections only reinforce how important every remaining DreamLeague result could be for teams hovering near the edge.

• Read Waiting season is here: Looking back at 15 years of TI invites

That made yesterday's playoff matches especially important.

PARIVISION defeated Team Falcons 2–1, while Team Spirit overcame Aurora Gaming by the same scoreline, sending both teams deeper into the playoffs and strengthening their cases ahead of invite season.

For PARIVISION, the timing could hardly be better. The roster spent much of the year hovering around the edge of contention and tinkering with their lineup, including moving DM to the bench, promoting the young SSS into the roster, and bringing in Clement “Puppey” Ivanov as coach. The team has maintained a strong presence at Tier 1 events with several top-four finishes, but often just outside the range of what most fans would consider a guaranteed TI invite.

• Read PARIVISION bring in SSS, while DM heads to the bench

Team Spirit’s situation feels different, but no less important. Despite being a two-time TI championship organization, Spirit have looked vulnerable and inconsistent for stretches of the season. Their recent resurgence alongside roster changes and the arrival of Alexey “not me” Kosmynin has revitalized the squad, with the veteran core suddenly looking far closer to their classic dominant form again.

• Read Team Spirit welcomes a new member to their roster

Neither team is guaranteed a direct TI invite. In fact, no one outside the absolute elite truly feels safe right now. But with a top-three placement at DreamLeague Season 29 now secured — and potentially even a championship title still within reach — both teams are inching closer, giving Valve increasingly strong arguments to include them when invites are finally decided.