BLAST SLAM VIII

BLAST Slam VIII brings sixteen of the world's top Dota 2 teams together for a $750,000 prize pool, running from September 29 to October 11 across online play and an offline playoff stage in Malta at the BLAST Arena Studios. Coming just days after PGL Wallachia Season 9, BLAST Slam VIII is another major tournament, especially after the TI shuffle.

Group Stage (September 29 – October ?): Sixteen teams are divided into four GSL groups of four teams each. All matches are played as Bo3 series. The winner of each group advances directly to the seeding matches, while the runner-up progresses to the Last Chance Stage. The remaining two teams from each group are eliminated.

Seeding Matches (October ?): The four group winners compete in Bo3 matches to determine playoff seeding. Winners advance directly to the Semifinals, and losers move into the Quarterfinals.

Last Chance Stage (October ?): The four group runners-up face off in Bo3 elimination matches. Winners secure a place in the Quarterfinals, while losers are eliminated from the tournament.

Playoffs (October 8 – October 11): The remaining eight teams battle through a double-elimination bracket. All matches are Bo3 except for the Grand Final, which is played as a Bo5.