The International 2026 dates leaked by Valve themselves

With Valve's official blog post regarding broadcast license requests for The International 2026, a small detail was also revealed indirectly.

The Request for Proposal (RFP) documentation attached to the official blog has leaked key scheduling information regarding TI 2026. The RFP, intended for prospective regional broadcast partners, clearly outlines the following timetable:

• Regional Qualifiers: June 9- 28, 2026
• The International 2026 group stage and playoffs: August 13–23, 2026

If the tournament retains last year's format, the Swiss-system group stage ("The Road to The International") would run from 13–16 August. Following a short break, the playoffs would likely commence on the 19th of August, or on the 20th, the latest.

While Valve's documentation has revealed the TI 2026 dates, the venue remains unknown. Last time Shanghai played host to The International, in 2019, the tournament was held at the Mercedes-Benz Arena, where OG became the first team to lift the Aegis of Champions twice. Moreover, to this day, they remain the only ones to have done it back-to-back.

There is still plenty of time until The International 2026, and we should expect Valve to reveal full details in the coming months, including the venue and ticket sales.