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The countdown to The International 2025 has been rocked by some late drama, with Tundra Esports confirming a last-minute change to their Dota 2 roster just days before the tournament kicks off in Hamburg, Germany.

Originally, Indonesian support player Matthew “Whitemon” Filemon was set to compete with Tundra at TI14, but the organisation revealed on August 31st that visa complications have sidelined him. Despite “every attempt” to secure his entry, circumstances beyond both Tundra and Whitemon’s control prevented him from travelling.

In a video message on social media, Whitemon admitted he was gutted to be missing the biggest Dota 2 event of the year, saying he’ll still support his teammates as a fan and return to action for their next tournament. His absence also marks the first time since 2021 that Indonesia won’t be represented at The International.

Tobi steps in as stand-in

To fill the gap, Tundra has called in Austrian offlaner Tobias “Tobi” Buchner. While the timing is far from ideal with TI starting on September 4th, Tobi is no stranger to the big stage. Just in July, he helped Team Liquid lift the FISSURE Universe 5 trophy, and according to Tundra, he’s already been practising with the squad in recent days.

The current Tundra Esports roster for The International 2025 is:

  • Remco “Crystallis” Arets
  • Bozhidar “bzm” Bogdanov
  • Neta “33” Shapira
  • Martin “Saksa” Sazdov
  • Tobias “Tobi” Buchner

Can Tundra stay in contention?

Tundra Esports enter TI14 as one of the favourites, especially after lifting the BLAST Slam III trophy in July and finishing runner-up at the Clavision Masters 2025 last month. But Whitemon was instrumental in their third-place finish at last year’s International, and losing him so close to the start of the tournament raises questions about whether the team can replicate that success.

This roster shake-up is just the latest twist in a turbulent lead-up to Hamburg. Earlier in August, Wilson “poloson” Koh was ruled out due to injury, while Gaimin Gladiators shocked the scene by pulling out of the tournament entirely over contractual disputes. Valve later confirmed that Chinese squad Yakutou Brothers would step in to replace them, joining Team Tidebound and Xtreme Gaming as the region’s three representatives.

A rocky road to Hamburg

Despite the setbacks, Tundra’s adaptability could be the key to staying competitive. With Tobi slotting into the lineup, the team has little time to adjust but plenty of talent to work with. Whether they can hold onto their championship ambitions or stumble under the pressure will be one of the biggest storylines to watch when The International 2025 kicks off on September 4th.