The stage is set: all teams heading to The International 2026

Our favourite time of the Dota 2 year is almost upon us, as The International 2026 looms on the horizon. The regional qualifiers are complete. The direct invites have been sent. And now, a little over a month remains until the prestigious tournament lands in Shanghai, China for yet another iteration.

Looking ahead, it is still a long road, but the countdown is now ticking for the 16 teams confirmed for TI 2026.

The 16 challengers for The International 2026

The hype for TI 2026 is beginning to build, especially after the regional qualifiers concluded on June 28th. As they came to an end, the final team to qualify for the event was confirmed, and with that, all 16 teams were in place. With seven direct invites having gone out earlier in the year, all remaining places went to regional qualifiers. Four were set aside for Europe, where Western and Eastern regions were combined. Two went to China, while Southeast Asia, North America, and South America each received one a piece.

On August 13th, these 16 teams will descend on Shanghai, China, where they will begin their journey as they play to become champions of TI. By August 20th, only aa select few will remain, as they enter the final challenge inside the Oriental Sports Center. There are some new faces who will grace the stage, and many that have been trying for years on end to reach the pinnacle of Dota 2.

The 16 teams confirmed for TI 2026 are:

• Aurora Gaming
• BoomBoys (BetBoom Team)
• Team Falcons
• Team Liquid
• 1w Team (ex-Tundra Esports)
• Xtreme Gaming
• Team Yandex
• Team Spirit
• Team Vision (PARIVISION)
• Nigma Galaxy
• HULIGANI (L1GA Team)
• Team Resilience
• Vici Gaming
• OG
• GamerLegion
• LGD Gaming (ex-HEROIC)

With a little over a month until everything kicks off, the hype train is boarding. The Esports World Cup is the first stop, but once that ends, it’s full speed ahead to The International 2026, and the search for the next team to lift the Aegis of Champions.