The International 7 Preliminary Stage Concludes, Playoff Bracket Matches Determined
The preliminary stage of The International 7 has officially ended and the playoff bracket matchups have been decided. Seattle’s KeyArena will host the top teams in the Dota 2 professional scene and the millions of fans watching at home.
18 Teams Compete in Group Stage
Unlike last year’s tournament, TI7 featured 18 teams in the group stage with two teams being eliminated. Fnatic from Southeast Asia and HellRaisers from Europe were unable to advance due to finishing last in their respective groups.
Disappointing Performances Lead to Elimination
Fnatic was expected to at least make it to the lower bracket in the group stages, but their lack of team chemistry and coordination resulted in their elimination after losing their first game to Evil Geniuses. HellRaisers, on the other hand, were not expected to do well given their lower strength compared to the other teams.
Personnel Adjustments Expected for Eliminated Teams
Since even successful teams often make roster changes after the tournament, it is likely that Fnatic and HellRaisers will also make adjustments. However, both teams will still receive a portion of the prize money for qualifying for the event.
Key Matchups in the Playoff Bracket
Team Liquid and LGD.Forever Young finished in the top spots of their groups, allowing them to choose their opponents in the first round of the upper bracket. Team Liquid chose Invictus Gaming, while LGD.Forever Young selected TNC Pro Team. Newbee will face EG, and LGD Gaming will play against Virtus Pro.
Teams Fighting for Survival in the Lower Bracket
The teams competing in the do-or-die best-of-one lower bracket round are Team Secret, Execration, Cloud9, Team Empire, OG, Infamous, iG Vitality, and Digital Chaos. OG, in particular, is in danger of being eliminated early due to their poor performance in the group stage.
Excitement for the Main Event
The TI7 main event begins on August 7th with the upper bracket match between Team Liquid and Invictus Gaming. Fans can watch the action live on the official TI7 Twitch channel.
The International 7, Dota 2, playoff bracket, group stage, elimination, roster changes, Team Liquid, LGD.Forever Young, Fnatic, HellRaisers, Invictus Gaming, TNC Pro Team, Newbee, EG, LGD Gaming, Virtus Pro, Team Secret, Execration, Cloud9, Team Empire, OG, Infamous, iG Vitality, Digital Chaos