Team Falcons became champions of The International 2025

Team Falcons defeated Xtreme Gaming in the grand final of The International 2025, becoming champions of the biggest Dota 2 tournament. The series ended 3-2, with the Chinese squad taking an honorable second place.

It was a best-of-five series where fans got to see all five maps. The first game turned out to be one of the longest, lasting 52 minutes. Throughout the match, both teams showcased high-level play, trying to minimize mistakes. Each map went steadily without sudden swings, with one side holding the advantage.

The third map stood out the most: Xtreme Gaming’s carry Wang Ame Chunyu had a stellar performance on Sven, finishing the game without a single death. By contrast, in the first game the opponent also picked Sven but failed to capitalize on his potential.

The fourth game was among the most spectacular of the series. Notably, Falcons’ offlaner Ammar ATF Assaf surprised with an unusual Ursa pick, building Battle Fury. The midlaner of the “Falcons” also shone, playing his signature Sand King and finishing the match without a single death. Unsurprisingly, by the fifth map the Chinese squad made sure to ban the “scorpion” early.

Despite banning the signature hero of their opponent’s midlaner, Xtreme Gaming still managed to neutralize him. However, their gamble on Juggernaut didn’t pay off, as he failed to make an impact on the outcome. Meanwhile, Team Falcons demonstrated a more cohesive and disciplined playstyle, rightfully claiming the championship.

Interestingly, many analysts had predicted Falcons’ triumph at last year’s International. But the team struggled at the end of the season and only finished in 4th place. Special mention goes to the team’s full support Jingjun Sneyking Wu and carry Oliver Skiter Lepko, who became two-time TI champions and lifted the Aegis for the second time in their careers. And team coach Curtis Daniel Aui_2000 Ling became the first three-time champion of The International. Curtis first won as a player with Evil Geniuses at TI5. His second championship came as coach of Tundra Esports at TI11.

The Chinese squad’s story also drew attention. For Ame and Zhao XinQ Zixing, this marked their return to a TI grand final for the first time since 2021, when they played for LGD Gaming. That series also went to five games, but the decisive one was taken by Team Spirit. Now, jokes about the so-called “Ame curse” have resurfaced online — the idea that he is forever destined to fall just short of the trophy, finishing second.

The International 2025 takes place from 04.09.2025 to 14.09.2025 in Hamburg, Germany, with 16 teams participating. The starting prize pool for the event is $1,600,000. You can follow the progress of the tournament in detail in the report.

Earlier, CyberScore.live reported that Valve has revealed the host city for the 2026 edition of the tournament.