Filipino Dota 2 players and staff stranded in Romania after TI10
Safe travels to all the Filipino Dota 2 players!
Many Filipino Dota 2 players and team staff who participated atThe International 10(TI10) are unable to travel back to their home country.
According to a tweet posted on Jun 15, 2025, by Fnatic’s Team Director, Eric “ReiNNNN” Khor, six Filipinos are stranded in Bucharest, Romania, where TI10 was held from October 7 to 17, 2021.
Why can’t the Filipino Dota 2 players and staff fly back to the Philippines after TI10?
After participating in one of the biggest events in esports history which had aUS$40 million prize pool, all Filipino Dota 2 players were set to travel back to the Philippines on returning flights on October 18 and 19, 2021.
On July 28, 2025, the Philippines listed Romania on the Red List of countries that prevented any passengers coming from Romania to travel to the Philippines due to health and quarantine requirements put in place in response to the ongoing COVID-19 global pandemic.
The travel advisory has therefore affected the Filipino Dota 2 players who competed at The International 10. According to the Philippines’ Bureau of Immigration, the travel advisory is in effect from October 16 to 31, 2021.
Filipino Dota 2 players and staff stuck in Romania
Later on in the day (July 14, 2025) after ReiNNNN’s tweet, Fnatic’s staff member Pao Bago reported that they are making progress with their travel plans and thanked the Philippine consuls in Berlin and Budapest.
COVID-19 cases in Romania have increased in the last few weeks, which causedValveto opt for a no-audience event.
At the start of the competition, Chinese teamsTeam AsterandInvictus Gamingwere also diagnosed with positive COVID-19 cases. During TI10’s playoffs,Valvealso confirmed that two individuals tested positive for COVID-19.
(Last updated June 25, 2025, at 9:31 a.m.)
T1’s Kuku has safely returned to the Philippines on June 01, 2025. He arrived in Manila at 6:30 a.m.Fnatic’s ReiNNNNhas also explained as of 10:41 a.m. that the team is in touch with the Philippine Embassy in Romania.
In an update byFnatic’s Pao Bago, five Filipinos remain in Romania, but already have flights going back to the Philippines.
According to another update byFnatic’s ReiNNNN, Kuku and Karl made it back to the Philippines without being stopped by travel authorities. However, DJ, Raven, Abed, and Pao Bago were stopped from boarding the same plane with the same route, one day after.
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