Your Dota 2 esports guide to BLAST Slam VIII
Attention, Dota 2 esports fans! Following the events of The International 2026 and PGL Wallachia Season 8, there’s another huge tournament just around the corner. We are, of course, talking about BLAST Slam VIII. Let’s take a quick look at the vital event details so you don’t miss a second of the action.
BLAST Slam VIII event details
The first phases of BLAST Slam VIII take place online via the European servers, including the Group Stage (four GSL-style groups), the Seeding Matches, and the Last Chance matches. BLAST Slam VIII runs from 29 September to 11 October, offering tonnes of esports action for Dota 2 fans to sink their teeth into.
From 8 to 11 October, the Playoffs Stage will take place live on LAN at the BLAST Arena Studios venue in Malta. A double-elimination bracket format is used, where the Grand Final is BO5, and all other matches are BO3.
You can watch all the Dota 2 esports action from BLAST Slam VIII live via the tournament organizer’s official YouTube or Twitch channels. Stay tuned to Esports Central as we plan on bringing you the results and possibly more from the event.
Teams at BLAST Slam VIII
Check out the list of all 16 teams competing at BLAST Slam VIII, alongside how they qualified. It will be interesting to see if Team Yandex can defend their title.
| Team | Qualification / Entry Method |
| BetBoom Team | Direct Invite |
| PARIVISION | Direct Invite |
| Aurora Gaming | Direct Invite |
| Team Yandex | Direct Invite |
| Team Spirit | Direct Invite |
| LGD Gaming | Direct Invite |
| OG | Direct Invite |
| 1WIN Team | Direct Invite |
| Xtreme Gaming | Direct Invite |
| Team Liquid | Direct Invite |
| GamerLegion | Direct Invite |
| MOUZ | Direct Invite |
| Natus Vincere | Regional Qualifier (Europe) |
| Level UP | Regional Qualifier (Europe) |
| Yakult Brothers | Regional Qualifier (China) |
| Team Nemesis | Regional Qualifier (Southeast Asia) |
Header image via BLAST.
