Ever since the DPC was disbanded back in 2023, pro Dota has been in limbo. Aside from The International 2024 and ESL stepping up to the plate to deliver Majors and DreamLeagues, there has been nothing of the 3rd party tournaments Valve expected to spring up. However, PGL are entering the ring again in 2024.

Source: PGL

Any seasoned fan of Dota should already be aware of PGL. They’ve been responsible for the 2023 DPC leagues, several Majors including Arlington and Stockholm and The International itself. Now, it’s time for the next phase.

8 PGL Dota events announced

PGL confirmed in their announcement that over the next 3 years, they will host 8 S-tier Dota 2 events. While not many details have been confirmed just yet, the inaugural event will be held from May 10th – 19th in Bucharest, Romania. The second will be in November, likely just after the end of The International as the Kuala Lumpur Major was in 2023.

As in the past, all of PGL’s tournaments will feature open and closed qualifiers. This is likely the most effective way to encourage the best players to compete on an international stage and keep Dota 2 alive. Despite a string of retirements and roster changes, the old guard still stands strong in Dota. Perhaps it’s time for some new blood.

2025-26 roadmap

2025 PGL Tournament 1 – March 6-15
2025 PGL Tournament 2 – April 18-27
2025 PGL Tournament 3 – November 7-16
2026 PGL Tournament 1 – March 6-15
2026 PGL Tournament 2 – April 17-26
2026 PGL Tournament 3 – November 6-15

Hope for Dota 2

Although many fans and pros, including Team Secret’s Puppey, have praised Valve’s decision to get rid of the DPC leagues, it did make the future of pro Dota unclear. With a pretty stagnant player base and no clear path to TI, fans have certainly wondered what will happen to Dota in the next few years.

However, PGL’s announcement confirms that there is still life in the scene. They seem eager to prove their dedication to Dota as an esport and that’s not exactly surprising. Few companies have put as much faith in Dota as PGL.