All you need to know about The International 2026 ticket sales

There’s nothing quite like watching The International unfold live inside the arena. The chants, the crowd eruptions, the tension — TI is one of esports’ few events that truly feels larger than the game itself.

If you can afford it, of course.

Tickets will grant fans access to TI 2026’s main event at the SPD Bank Oriental Sports Center in Shanghai, China from August 20–23. Two ticket options will be available: single-day tickets for individual match days, or two-day bundles covering either August 20–21 or August 22–23.

Ticket prices this year range from roughly $110–$320 for weekday access, while weekend two-day passes will cost approximately $170–$460 depending on seating.

To help fans better understand the venue layout and pricing structure, Valve also released a seating chart for the event. Unlike some previous esports events, there are no general admission tickets available.

The International 2026 Ticket Information

TI 2026 ticket sales begin on June 10 at 2PM CST (Chinese Standard Time — not Central European Summer Time). That translates to 08:00 CEST.

There are two separate ticket purchase paths for TI 2026: one for domestic buyers within China, and another for international attendees.

Chinese domestic ticket sales will be available through Damai or the Perfect World app, and purchases will require a valid Chinese ID. Once sales begin on June 10, the first twenty minutes will function as a priority purchase window reserved for active Dota 2 players in China who have played at least 10 games within the past six months.

Domestic buyers should also note that they will need toverify their account status in advance by the end of Wednesday, June 3, 2026.

International ticket sales will open slightly later on June 10 at 08:30 CEST through Trip.com. Buyers will need both a Trip.com account and a valid passport to complete purchases. Valve recommends creating accounts and submitting attendee documentation ahead of time to avoid delays once sales open.

Each account will be limited to a maximum of two tickets per day. Fans attending in larger groups will need to complete multiple transactions. Every attendee must also provide valid identification matching the purchased ticket information.

Valve additionally confirmed that TI 2026 tickets cannot be transferred, gifted, or resold, and may only be used by the registered purchaser.

The International 2026

Celebrating its 15th anniversary, TI 2026 will take place at the Oriental Sports Center in Shanghai, China. Sixteen of the world’s best teams will battle through open qualifiers, regional qualifiers, and a Swiss-style group stage, with only eight ultimately advancing to the main event.

• Read The direct invites for The International 2026 have been announced

This marks only the second time The International has been hosted in China. The previous occasion came at TI9 in Shanghai, where OG defeated Team Liquid 4–1 to become the first in history to win two TI titles, claiming $15.6 million from a record-breaking $34.3 million prize pool.