Quinn to stand in for Team Falcons at ESL One Raleigh 2025

Team Falcons' mid laner, Malr1ne, will be missing out on the tournament due to visa issues.

Dota 2 powerhouse Team Falcons has announced an unfortunate issue regarding its roster for ESL One Raleigh 2025, one of the biggest LAN events of the year. The team will have to compete without its prodigious mid laner Stanislav “Malr1ne” Potorak as he failed to secure a visa for the competition.

Filling in for Malr1ne throughout the tournament will be Gaimin Gladiators' Quinn “Quinn” Callahan. Despite the Gladiators failing to qualify for ESL One Raleigh by placing 5th-6th in the Western European qualifier, Quinn will still make his way to his home region in North America to represent the green team in this unexpected twist.

Team Falcons’ Dota 2 roster for ESL One Raleigh is as follows:

A futile effort for Malr1ne

Visa issues are a common challenge for Dota 2 players, especially Russian players trying to gain approval to enter the heavily-regulated United States. After Team Falcons earned a direct invite to ESL One Raleigh in January, many anticipated that Malr1ne, their only Russian player, would face inevitable visa issues.

In preparation, Team Falcons and Malr1ne took visible steps to secure his attendance at the Raleigh tournament. Malr1ne even skipped the Playoffs of DreamLeague Season 25 in February to focus on his visa application, with Team Falcons finishing 5th in his absence.

However, his efforts ultimately proved futile, as Malr1ne was unable to secure his visa. The 20-year old will now stand aside while Team Falcons competes at ESL One Raleigh, with Quinn filling his role in the mid lane.

ESL One Raleigh, set to take place from April 7 to 13, marks the first ESL One event in the United States since ESL One New York in 2015. This US$1 million event will feature 12 invited and qualified teams, including Team Liquid, Team Spirit, PARIVISION, Tundra Esports, and Nigma Galaxy. The final three days of the tournament will notably be played in front of a live crowd in the Raleigh Convention Center.