Noteworthy open qualifier winners for The International 2026: NA, SA, and SEA

Open qualifiers for The International 2026 are complete, and some rather noteworthy teams are hoping to make their way into the main event.

Over the previous week, we saw the open qualifiers for The International 2026 take place. Each region had a huge number of teams and stacks involved, as they all attempted to reach the closed qualifiers. Many regions saw some notable players joining into the fray, but with only a few slots available, not everyone would make it through. However, with that said, there some additions into the closed qualifiers, which are now underway for a few regions, that are worth keeping an eye on.

Read more: Get rdy: Competitive guide for June 15th-21st

An interesting open qualifiers

While the open qualifiers may be over, we definitely saw a few exciting rosters forming, as they tried to make a run through to the grand stage of TI. In every region we saw the return of some well-known Dota 2 players. A few of these players formed stacks, others returned to organisations that are already cemented in the Dota 2 scene, while a couple even came out of retirement just for a chance to reach the prestigious stage of The International.

With that said, today we are looking at the significant teams that made it into the closed qualifiers through North America, South America, and Southeast Asia's open qualifiers.

North America

NA Dota 2 has been going through a tough time recently, with a scattering of teams, forfeits in qualifiers, and an all-round lack of pro-teams. However, during the open qualifiers we saw a glimmer of hope from The Bug. A roster comprising of Jaron “monkeys-forever” Clinton and Danny “iAnnihilate” Cote, among others.

With both players being well known, within the NA scene, they have been AWOL from professional tournaments and teams for a couple of years. Their return could bring a resurgence into NA if they can put some pressure on GamerLegion during the closed qualifiers.

South America

The SA region will already be quite a tough one, with only one spot available at TI and a string of big teams such as PlayTime, LGD Gaming, Amaru Gaming, and Team Nemesis. And, just to throw a spanner into the works, David "Parker" Nicho Flores’ new team, Estar Backs, managed to push through the open qualifiers.

Having originally received a direct invite into the closed qualifier, roster changes forced them to play through the open bracket instead. Their first attempt was met with failure, eliminated in the round of 16, but the second qualifier gave them a clear path forward. With that, the South American closed qualifier for TI promises to be one of the most highly contested and definitely one to pay close attention to.

Southeast Asia

SEA Dota has always been on the radar, and with OG and GLYPH joining the region, it has become even more exciting. But one of the more interesting stacks to come through the open qualifier was that of Grind Back. A roster with Nuengnara "23savage" Teeramahanon, Chan "Oli" Chon Kien, and Worawit "Q" Mekchai on board could give the region yet another reason to enjoy their Dota 2 again.

Apart from that, SEA also sees players such as Randy "Dreamocel" Sapoetra and Prieme "PlayHard" Banquil making it through to the closed qualifiers with Carstensz Esports and Direborn, respectively. Another region which has only just been afforded a single slot at TI 2026, and another region where the qualifiers will be amazing to witness.

TI 2026 closed qualifiers are already underway at the current time of writing, with CN and SA kicking off on June 15th. Later in the week we will see SEA kick off, before EU and NA will be the last to conclude. As both the Esports World Cup 2026 and TI approach, the excitement is building, and teams are getting in their final preparations for a chance to reach the grand stage in Shanghai, China, later this year.