The International (TI) is the main tournament in Dota 2. Victory here is considered the pinnacle of a career: teams fight for the Aegis of Champions, large prizes and a place in the history of the game. How The InternationalTI appeared is hosted by Valve, the developer of Dota 2. The best teams from the regions meet at the tournament, the winner receives the Aegis. Being a TI champion often determines how a team will be remembered for years to come. The story begins before the game's full release. On August 1, 2011, Valve announced the first tournament as a public presentation of Dota 2. The event took place from August 17 to 21, 2011 at Gamescom in Cologne. Key facts of the first TI: 16 invited teams; prize fund - 1.6 million; champion - 1 million; groups, then a bracket with elimination after two defeats; that's when Dota 2 was shown to the general public for the first time at a big tournament. For eSports at that time, the bank of 1.6 million dollars was almost unprecedented. Natus Vincere became the first champion: in the grand final NaVi beat EHOME 3:1 and took the first Aegis. Why TI became the main tournament One bank was not enough. Valve made the tournament the annual final of the season: strong teams received invites, the rest made their way through qualifications. An important stage was the interactive Compendium in 2013. Players made predictions, collected cards, voted for show matches and received rewards. Part of the proceeds went to the prize fund - the community directly “pumped up” TI. Why the status was established: the organizer is Valve itself; the best from all regions come to the tournament; the season is largely built around qualifying for TI; the trophy is the iconic Aegis of Champions; prize money can change a career in one event. Formats, dates, places and methods of filling the bank have changed, but the role of The International on the Dota 2 scene has not disappeared in 15 years. Modern formatNow TI usually consists of two stages: group etapa (“The Path to The International”) and playoffs. 16 teams qualify for the tournament, with eight reaching the main stage. The basic prize fund is 1.6 million, and then it grows due to in-game purchases of support. Groups are played online, series are best-of-3, Swiss system. Four wins means direct access to the playoffs, four losses means relegation. After the main rounds, some teams earn their spots in the Elimination Round. Playoffs - Double Elimination: all eight start in the upper bracket. One defeat sends you down, the second sends you home. Matches up to the grand final are bo3, the final is bo5. The International 2026TI 15 will be held from August 13 to August 23, 2026 in Shanghai. The top eight will play for Aegis at the SPD Bank Oriental Sports Center. This is the fifteenth tournament of the series and the second TI in Shanghai. The roster was formed by invites and regional qualifications. The previous TI 14 (2025) was held in Hamburg: the pot was about 2.88 million, the champion was Team Falcons, in the grand final the Falcons beat Xtreme Gaming 3:2.FAQWhat is The International?
Valve Dota 2 World Championship with Aegis as the main trophy.When is the next TI?
The International 2026 - from August 13 to 23 in Shanghai.How many teams are participating?
16 at the start, 8 in the playoffs.
