BLAST Slam VII 2026 Preview: Teams, Schedule, Predictions
BLAST Slam VII runs May 26 to June 7 in Copenhagen with a $1M prize pool. Full preview of the twelve Dota 2 teams, format, key storylines, and predictions.
Dota 2 returns to Copenhagen this week. BLAST Slam VII runs from May 26 to June 7, 2026, with twelve teams chasing a $1,000,000 prize pool and the last big trophy before The International 2026 build-up begins in earnest. Here is the preview of every storyline, the full schedule, and our picks for the deep playoff run.
Key storylines
BLAST Slam VII lands at an interesting moment in the Dota 2 calendar. Patch settling, rosters tightening, TI 2026 qualifiers on the horizon. Three threads to watch:
- The Western European logjam. Team Liquid, Team Falcons, Tundra Esports, and OG are all chasing the same one or two automatic-invite slots that the next few months of points will hand out. Slam VII is worth real DPC-style currency to all of them.
- PARIVISION's road back. PARIVISION rebuilt around veteran cores after a quiet end to 2025. A Copenhagen run would confirm they belong in the top tier alongside Spirit and BetBoom.
- Aurora versus Ex-HEROIC. Two rosters built from the wreckage of late-2025 roster shuffles, both in Copenhagen, both with everything to prove on LAN.
The first week is online (manageable for fans across timezones), but the playoff weekend at BLAST Studios is where the show really kicks in.
Teams and rosters
Twelve teams make the field. Eight direct invites and four qualifier winners (two from Europe, one from China, one from Southeast Asia). The confirmed invites are:
- Team Liquid (EU)
- BetBoom Team (EEU)
- Tundra Esports (EU)
- Team Falcons (MENA)
- Team Spirit (EEU)
- Team Yandex (EEU)
- OG (EU)
- Ex-HEROIC (EU)
- Aurora (EEU)
- PARIVISION (EEU)
- Xtreme Gaming (China)
- GLYPH (SEA)
If you want a quick refresh on each roster's strengths, the Dota 2 page on Esport Agenda has live form ratings and recent results for every team in the field.
Full schedule
The tournament is split into a group stage, a Last Chance bracket, and a single-elimination playoff.
- Group stage (online): May 26 to May 29. Round robin, all matches Bo1. Top four go straight to playoffs. Teams placed 5th to 10th drop to the Last Chance stage. Teams 11th and 12th are out.
- Last Chance stage: May 30 to June 3. Six teams play to fill the remaining four playoff slots.
- Playoffs (LAN, BLAST Studios Copenhagen): June 4 to June 7. Eight teams in single elimination. Quarters and semis are Bo3, the grand final is Bo5.
Match-by-match start times in your timezone are live on the BLAST Slam tournament page on Esport Agenda.
Predictions
A few calls for the bracket, with the obvious caveat that Dota 2 patches and group draws make every prediction a coin flip.
- Group winners (top 4 direct to playoffs): Team Liquid, Team Spirit, Team Falcons, Xtreme Gaming. Liquid's macro feels a step ahead of the field in the current patch; Spirit's draft flexibility is hard to plan around; Falcons have looked dialed in on early-game tempo; Xtreme Gaming have a Chinese-server scrim block other teams can't replicate.
- Last Chance survivor most likely to break the bracket: PARIVISION. If they get one win in the LCS, the rest tends to fall into place.
- Grand final pick: Team Liquid versus Team Spirit, Spirit in five. Slam events have been kind to the Eastern European reads on draft variance, and Spirit's midgame coordination still feels half a tier above everyone else when they're locked in.
- Dark horse for top three: Tundra Esports. The roster's late-2025 form was deceptive; expect a Copenhagen statement.
How to follow every match
Whether you watch the online week from home or follow the LAN weekend from the BLAST Studios crowd, Esport Agenda will keep your schedule organized.
- Open the BLAST Slam page on Esport Agenda.
- Hit the bell on any match for a 30-minute reminder.
- Filter by team to track only your favorite roster across the bracket.
Closing CTA
BLAST Slam VII is the last major LAN before TI 2026 qualifiers heat up, and the playoff weekend in Copenhagen is the most stacked LAN bracket of the spring. Bookmark the Dota 2 page on Esport Agenda for live results, and hit the Esport Agenda homepage for the full week's calendar across every esport you follow.
GLHF, Copenhagen.