The International (Dota 2)

Last Updated: 6 november 2025

The Dota 2 Computer Game World Championship (International) is the first Dota 2 event and the largest esports tournament of its kind. It is hosted by Valve.

2026 Dota 2 World Championship

The 2026 Dota 2 World Championship, officially known as The International 2026 (TI15), will be held in August 2026 in Shanghai, China. The tournament is hosted by Valve. This will be the second time in The International’s history that the premier Dota 2 tournament has been held in Shanghai, following the successful TI9 in 2019.

Participants

The full list of participants for The International 2026 has not yet been determined. Team selection will take place during the next competitive season, which runs until the summer of 2026.

Last Season Favorites

Team Spirit : The champions, who have consistently shown a high level.
Team Liquid : The current champion.
Gaimin Gladiators: The team that dominated the 2023-24 season.
PSG.LGD: The Chinese team that always has aspirations to win.
OG: Two-time champions who are capable of surprises.

History of the International

The International tournaments have been held every year since 2011 and represent the prestigious event in Dota 2. Winning The International is the ultimate achievement for teams and players from all over the world. The prize pool of the first tournament was $1.6 million and grows every year with the prize pool exceeding $40 million in 2021.

Since 2013, part of the prize pool has been generated through crowdfunding (before the tournament, regular players are given the opportunity to buy into the in-game shop for certain bonuses. Part of the proceeds from those sales goes to replenish the tournament prize pool).