The International 2026: Valve confirms the venue and schedule

Although the professional Dota 2 season has only recently got underway, the hype for The International 2026 is already starting to build.

The pinnacle of Dota 2 esports, The International, takes us back to Shanghai, China in 2026. It is here that the culmination of the best teams in the business will fight it out for the ultimate prize, the Aegis of Champions, a fitting trophy to those that have survived the gruelling season. While we have barely begun with the season, teams will already have their final goal in mind – reaching TI 2026 and lifting the Aegis, possibly for the first time.

Shanghai takes center stage once again

We might be waiting for a few more months before The International 2026 comes our way, but that has not stopped Valve from dropping a tantalising teaser for this year’s event. After TI 2025, we learned that the prestigious tournament would be returning to Shanghai, China, and now we have confirmation of the dates of all qualifiers and the main events, as well as the venue for TI 2026.

In a blog post, Valve detailed the dates for the upcoming event, hinting at the theme and heralding a tournament milestone. Hitting its 15th anniversary, TI 2026 will take place at the Oriental Sports Center in Shanghai, China. 16 of the best teams in the world will come together, through open qualifiers, regional qualifiers, and a Swiss-style group stage, where only 8 will claim their spot at the main event.

With the dates announced, from June 9th-12th, teams will be able to play through Open Qualifiers. Following this, from June 15th-28th, Regional Qualifiers will get underway. While we do not currently know how many slots will be available for each region, it could look very similar to previous years. Once locked in, the teams will begin a tough Group Stage from August 13th-16th, before the top 8 head into the Oriental Sports Center from August 20th, with the grand finals on August 23rd crowning the TI 2026 champion.

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As we head into the busy period of multiple Dota 2 tournaments, the prospects of reaching the hallowed grounds of The International 2026 will be in the minds of each and every player and team. We cannot wait to see what comes in between, and which team will make their dreams come true at TI 2026.