The International 2025 – Day 1 Recap: Sixteen Matches Ignite the Group Stage

At The International 2025 on Day 1, there were spectacular displays, key instances, and a sneak peek at the strategy that will likely dominate for the rest of the event.

The International 2025 commenced with a continuous run of Dota 2 games, as every competing team played two series apiece during Day 1 of the Group Stage. With sixteen matches squeezed into one day, we were entertained by constant excitement, emerging narratives, opportunities for upsets, thrilling moves, and a glimpse of what to expect in Hamburg, Germany.

Near upsets and rampages on Day 1 at The International 2025

In the initial round, there were several near misses, yet no significant upsets occurred. BOOM Esports almost pulled off an upset against the current champions, Team Liquid. It seemed unlikely that they would take a game from them, let alone force a decisive third game. However, even after winning the series, Liquid suffered a crushing defeat at the hands of Tidebound later in the day. Team Nemesis also nearly knocked off Team Falcons. The Southeast Asian team engaged them in an intense 70-minute battle before Falcons managed to emerge victorious.

Team 1Team 2ScoreWinner
Aurora GamingXtreme Gaming0-2Xtreme Gaming
Team SpiritWildcard2-0Team Spirit
Team FalconsTeam Nemesis2-1Team Falcons
Tundra EsportsYakutou Brothers2-1Tundra Esports
PARIVISIONHEROIC2-0PARIVISION
Team LiquidBOOM Esports2-1Team Liquid
BetBoom TeamNigma Galaxy1-2Nigma Galaxy
Team TideboundNatus Vincere2-1Team Tidebound

During one of the opening matches of the day, we witnessed the debut of The International 2025’s first Rampage, where Illya “Yatoro” Mulyarchuk showcased his fresh hairstyle while demonstrating a determined effort to achieve his optimal form on Shadowfiend. As he ruthlessly advanced against Wildcard’s team, it was clear that Yatoro was making progress toward his peak performance.

Chinese Dota 2 is alive and kicking

It was widely doubted that the Chinese Dota 2 scene would excel, especially on the first day of The International 2025. The teams Xtreme Gaming (XG), Team Tidebound, and Yakutou Brothers all found themselves up against challenging opponents during Round 2, making things even more difficult for them. Surprisingly, both XG and Team Tidebound managed to triumph over the victors from previous TI events, despite it still being the group stage of the competition.

Team 1Team 2ScoreWinner
Team FalconsTundra Esports2-1Team Falcons
Team SpiritXtreme Gaming1-2Xtreme Gaming
PARIVISIONNigma Galaxy2-0PARIVISION
Team LiquidTeam Tidebound0-2Team Tidebound
Aurora GamingWildcard2-0Aurora Gaming
Yakutou BrothersTeam Nemesis2-1Yakutou Brothers
BOOM EsportsBetBoom Team0-2BetBoom Team
Natus VincereHEROIC2-0Natus Vincere

After Round 3, Falcons and PARIVISION joined an undefeated group. On Day 2, they aim to disrupt the strong start by CN. Unfortunately, a few teams are under pressure because they didn’t win any matches on Day 1 of The International 2025. Day 2, consisting of Rounds 3 and 4, could potentially eliminate one of these four teams due to their current losing streak.

  • Wildcard
  • Team Nemesis
  • BOOM Esports
  • HEROIC

After completing Day 1 at The International 2025, we’re almost ready for the excitement of Day 2. In total, 12 series will unfold, increasing the chances of spectacular moves and innovative strategies being showcased.

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2025-09-05 10:12