Boom Esports and Talon Esports emerge as SEA reps in ESL Dota 2 DreamLeague Season 26

Boom Esports and Talon Esports have clinched their spots as Southeast Asia’s representatives for the Dota 2 ESL DreamLeague Season 26, set to take place in Europe on May 19, 2025.

Both teams emerged victorious from the fiercely contested SEA Closed Qualifiers, though their paths to qualification diverged sharply. Boom Esports dominated the upper bracket, defeating Team Nimister, Ivory, and The MongolZ in decisive fashion.

On the other side, Talon Esports went through a dramatic lower-bracket comeback after an early stumble, revamping their strategy to overcome Execration, Ivory, TPB, and finally The MongolZ. This victory serves as sweet redemption for the Talon bois, who were far from impressive during their DreamLeague Season 25 qualifiers.

Before DreamLeague Season 26, Talon Esports will compete as SEA’s sole representative at ESL One Raleigh 2025 in North America, starting tonight. The tournament features a $1 million prize pool and offers critical ESL Pro Point opportunities for competing teams.

Old names, new fortune

Both teams have garnered praise from the SEA Dota community for their strategic roster changes in the past months, with fans acknowledged these moves for their improved performances.

Boom Esports handled the departures of Nicholson “Mac” Villanuva and veteran Saieful “Fbz” Ilham really well by recruiting Aurora’s aces as temporary players: Anucha “Jabz” Jirawong (pos 2) and Armel “Armel” Paul Tobias (pos 3). Their synergy has refreshed Boom’s gameplay, injecting much-needed aggression to press their opponents relentlessly.

Meanwhile, Talon Esports strengthened their roster by acquiring John ‘Natsumi’ Vargas and SEA Venomancer legend Carlo ‘Kuku’ Palad in late 2024. The latter stood out, as his leadership significantly boosted team morale and drove fan engagement. His standout performance in the recent qualifiers proved that he still commands formidable skill.