The International 2026
2026 (to be confirmed) · To be confirmed
The International 2026
Dota 2's world championship — the pinnacle of the competitive year.
- Dates
- 2026 (to be confirmed)
- Location
- To be confirmed
The International (TI) is the annual world championship of Dota 2, organised by Valve, and is regarded as the most prestigious event on the Dota calendar. It has historically featured some of the largest prize pools in all of esports.
Teams reach The International through the Dota Pro Circuit and regional qualifiers. The 2026 host city and dates are expected to be confirmed by Valve; here's how TI works and who has lifted the Aegis of Champions in recent years.
📋 Format & how it works
Group stage & main event
The International opens with a round-robin group stage that seeds teams into a double-elimination main event bracket, played on the big stage in front of a live crowd.
Double-elimination bracket
Teams in the Upper Bracket get a second chance in the Lower Bracket; matches are best-of-three, with the grand final a best-of-five to crown the champion.
5v5 on the Dota map
Two teams of five draft heroes and battle to destroy the enemy Ancient, contesting lanes, Roshan and team fights in matches that often run well over half an hour.
🗓️ Key dates
📜 Recent International champions
| 2024 | Team Liquid | Europe |
| 2023 | Team Spirit | Eastern Europe |
| 2022 | Tundra Esports | Western Europe |
| 2021 | Team Spirit | Eastern Europe |
| 2019 | OG | back-to-back champions |
| 2018 | OG | Europe |
📺 How to watch
- The International streams free on the official Dota 2 Twitch and YouTube channels, plus in-client via the Dota 2 game.
- Community and creator co-streams in many languages are widely available.
❓ Frequently asked questions
When is The International 2026?
The International 2026 is expected during 2026; Valve is set to confirm the host city and exact dates ahead of the event.
What is The International?
The International is the annual Dota 2 world championship organised by Valve, historically featuring some of the biggest prize pools in esports.
Which team has won the most Internationals?
OG is the only team to win The International twice, taking back-to-back titles in 2018 and 2019.
How can I watch The International?
It streams free on the official Dota 2 Twitch and YouTube channels and in-game, with community co-streams in many languages.