The first day of ESL One Raleigh 2025 delivered high-impact matches, early surprises, and the rise of new challengers. With all 12 teams in action across both groups, April 7 kicked off the long-awaited return of ESL One to North America with style, precision, and some classic Dota 2 chaos.
Here’s a full breakdown of Day 1, the storylines that emerged, and who’s already making waves in the race for playoffs.
Source: Liquidpedia
Group A: Nigma Galaxy’s Statement Start
Perhaps the biggest surprise of the day was Nigma Galaxy, who came out of the gates with a perfect 4-0 game score, topping Group A with back-to-back sweeps.
Key Results:
- Nigma Galaxy 2-0 Shopify Rebellion
- Nigma Galaxy 2-0 Talon Esports
SumaiL and GH delivered dominant performances, showcasing coordination and patience that silenced both SEA and NA hopefuls.
Other Highlights:
- Team Spirit vs. PARIVISION ended in a competitive 1-1 draw.
- Team Liquid 2-0 Talon Esports, but later drew 1-1 with Spirit in a back-and-forthseries.
- PARIVISION 2-0 Shopify Rebellion, bouncing back after their split series.
Group A Standings (After Day 1)
| Team | Match Record | Game Score |
|---|---|---|
| Nigma Galaxy | 2-0-0 | 4-0 |
| Team Liquid | 1-1-0 | 3-1 |
| PARIVISION | 1-1-0 | 3-1 |
| Team Spirit | 0-2-0 | 2-2 |
| Talon Esports | 0-0-2 | 0-4 |
| Shopify Rebellion | 0-0-2 | 0-4 |
Shopify and Talon both end Day 1 with worrying 0-4 records, needing a major turnaround on Day 2 to avoid early elimination.
Group B: Falcons Lead a Tight Pack
Group B was all about tight matches, with four out of six series ending in 1-1 draws. The only team to pick up a clean 2-0 was Team Falcons, putting them on top.
Key Results:
- Falcons 1-1 Tundra Esports
- Falcons 2-0 BetBoom Team
- Tundra 1-1 AVULUS
- HEROIC 1-1 AVULUS
- HEROIC 1-1 Team Tidebound
- BetBoom 1-1 Tidebound
Crystallis debuted for Tundra with a solid showing, while Falcons’ skiter and ATF looked in sync from game one.
Group B Standings (After Day 1)
| Team | Match Record | Game Score |
| Team Falcons | 1-1-0 | 3-1 |
| AVULUS | 0-2-0 | 2-2 |
| HEROIC | 0-2-0 | 2-2 |
| Team Tidebound | 0-2-0 | 2-2 |
| Tundra Esports | 0-2-0 | 2-2 |
| BetBoom Team | 0-1-1 | 1-3 |
Group B is far more open—no team is winless, but no team (other than Falcons) managed a 2-0.
Standout Players of the Day
- SumaiL (Nigma Galaxy): Vintage control and tempo-setting from the midlane.
- Skiter (Falcons): Dominated lane matchups and converted into early objectives.
- Mikoto (Talon): Despite two losses, his play showed glimmers of brilliance.
- Quinn (Team Liquid): Kept Liquid competitive in both series.
Day 1 of ESL One Raleigh 2025 delivered everything we hoped: clean drafts, international clashes, and the emergence of heroes—both figuratively and literally. With only two days left in the group stage, the pressure is on for teams to secure playoff seeds or face elimination.
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FAQs
Q: What format is ESL One Raleigh using?
A: Two Bo2 round-robin groups of six teams. Top 2 go to upper bracket, 3rd-4th to lower bracket, bottom two are eliminated.
Q: Who is leading after Day 1?
A: Nigma Galaxy (4-0) in Group A, Team Falcons (3-1) in Group B.
Q: Which teams are struggling?
A: Shopify Rebellion and Talon Esports are both 0-4. BetBoom also underperformed with a 1-3 game score.
Q: What matches are next?
A: Key Day 2 matches include Team Spirit vs. Nigma Galaxy, BetBoom vs. Tundra, and Shopify Rebellion vs. Talon—a must-win for both.
Q: Is the event played on LAN?
A: Yes. The final three days (playoffs) will be in front of a live audience at the Raleigh Convention Center.
