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Two birds with one stone; Aurora's victory knocks out Falcons and BetBoom at DreamLeague Season 28
The DreamLeague Season 28 field has been carved down from eight hopefuls to just four contenders, and the playoff bracket is now locked. Falcons and BetBoom Team are the latest casualties, their exits confirming Team Liquid, Aurora Gaming, Xtreme Gaming, and Tundra Esports as the final teams standing.
It felt like a LOT of games and even longer time period to get to this place, but the second group stage delivered exactly what was needed in the end to make things exciting: volatility, pressure, and entertainment. Every series carried consequences, and even teams already eliminated still held the power to shape the playoff bracket.
For whom the bell tolls
PARIVISION were the first to fall in the second group stage, unable to maintain momentum or consistency as the tournament progressed and increasingly sharpened opposition who figured them out already.
MOUZ were next to bow out. They too are struggling for consistency, their DreamLeague run reflected a team continued to search for stability. Although their recent 11th–12th place finish at BLAST Slam VI hinted at potentially deeper issues, they ultimately finished DreamLeague Season 28 in seventh place, a considerable improvement at least.
Falcons’ campaign was derailed by Ammar “ATF” Al-Assaf being forced to step down on Day 3 due to an eye infection, leaving the team to rely on stand-ins for the remainder of the group stage. Despite flashes of resilience, the disruption proved too costly. Falcons were officially eliminated alongside BetBoom Team following Aurora Gaming’s decisive 2–1 victory over BetBoom, the series that mathematically sealed both teams’ fates.
Final four emerge
Aurora’s path to the playoffs was anything but straightforward. They dominated the first group stage with a commanding 12–2 record, storming through their early matches undefeated and establishing themselves as the team to beat. However, their second group stage run tested their resolve. After opening with three strong wins, Aurora stumbled into a three-series losing streak that left their playoff hopes hanging by a thread. They ultimately steadied themselves and did just enough to secure advancement, proving their early dominance was no fluke.
Team Liquid, by contrast, delivered a masterclass in consistency. Hot off their championship title victory at BLAST SLam VI, this team has officially found their footing, becoming everything everyone had hoped they would be. Their 2–1 victory over Tundra Esports in the final series of the second group stage completed a flawless run. Liquid finished with a perfect 7–0 series record and a dominant 14–4 game score, becoming the first team to lock their playoff berth and firmly establishing themselves as tournament favorites.
Xtreme Gaming still had one final series to play against Falcons to determine whether Xtreme Gaming or Tundra Esports would secure the final upper bracket position. The series delivered pure spectacle filled with wild momentum swings, costly throws, and clutch turnarounds from both sides. It went the full three games, ending in an equally, if not more, chaotic 67-minute decider Falcons ultimately claimed the 2–1 victory. While the win did not change their eliminated status, it had major playoff implications. The loss dropped Xtreme Gaming into the lower bracket, confirming Tundra Esports’ place in the upper bracket and setting up an upper bracket semifinal clash against Team Liquid.
The DreamLeague Season 28 playoffs begin tomorrow, Saturday, February 28, at 15:00 CET, with Aurora Gaming facing Xtreme Gaming in the lower bracket semifinals.
DreamLeague Season 28 Playoffs
- February 28 - March 1
- Double-elimination bracket
- All matches are Bo3
- Grand Final is Bo5