Valve details qualifier format, schedule for 2021-22 DPC Winter Tour

The 2021-22 Dota Pro Circuit officially begins on Nov. 29, with the roster lock for the season coming up on Nov. 21 at 1:59pm CT. While some of the top teams that have already secured a spot in the DPC’s regional leagues are busy putting the finishing touches on their rosters, the remaining teams are about to begin their battle for a spot alongside them. 

Across all six of the major regions, teams who formed or lost their spots from the previous DPC season will play for a set number of spots in their respective tournament organizer’s lower division for the Winter Tour of the 2022 season. 

The only region that does not have all of its dates set is China, and that is due to several players who competed at The International 10 still being stuck in Bucharest, Romania because of strict travel restrictions. Once those players are safely able to return home, Valve and Perfect World will share further updates. 

For teams from the other five regions, their quest to join the DPC begins now, with Western Europe (WEU) already having completed a portion of its first open qualifier bracket before this announcement. 

Only one region has more than two slots available for the qualifiers, that being Eastern Europe (EEU) due to the withdrawal of EXTREMUM. Here is how the qualifiers will work for each region: 

• Souteast Asia
  • Open Qualifier No. 1 (Nov. 20 to 21)
  • Open Qualifier No. 2 (Nov. 23 to 24)
  • Top team from each will qualify for the lower division of the SEA Winter Tour
• WEU
  • Open Qualifier No. 1 (Nov. 19)
  • Open Qualifier No. 2 (Nov. 20)
  • Closed Qualifier (Nov. 22)
  • Top two teams from the closed qualifier will earn a spot in the lower division of the WEU Winter Tour
• EEU
  • Open Qualifier No. 1 (Nov. 26)
  • Single-elimination bracket with the top team earning one of the three open spots in the lower division of the EEU Winter Tour
  • Open Qualifier No. 2 (Nov. 27 and 28)
  • Double-elimination with the top two teams taking the remaining to spots in the lower division
• North America
  • Open Qualifier No. 1 (Nov. 19)
  • Open Qualifier No. 2 (Nov. 20)
  • Closed Qualifier (Nov. 22)
  • Top two teams from the closed qualifier will earn a spot in the lower division of the NA Winter Tour
• South Ameirca 
  • Open Qualifier No. 1 (Nov. 20 to 21)
  • Open Qualifier No. 2 (Nov. 23 to 24)
  • Closed Qualifier (Nov. 25 to 26)
  • Top two teams from the closed qualifier will earn a spot in the lower division of the SA Winter Tour
• China
  • Dates and format TBD

Additionally, more details about the Winter Tour will be shared next week once qualifiers are in full swing, including a full broadcast schedule and information on this season’s Team Support bundles, Player Cards and Fantasy League. You can find all of the information about where to register for each region’s open qualifiers and where to watch them live on the official Dota blog.