The International 2026 Dota 2: Schedule, Format andParticipants

The International 2026 will bring together 16 of the world's strongest teams in Shanghai, China. The tournament starts on August 13 and ends on August 23. Among the participants are four Russian-speaking teams: Team Spirit, Team VISION, BoomBoys and HULIGANI. Valve will publish the official match schedule shortly before the start of the competition. The group stage will be held according to the Swiss system: 16 teams will play 5 rounds, all matches will be in bo3 format. Four wins ensure direct access to the playoffs, four losses mean elimination from the tournament. The three best teams of the group stage will directly advance to the playoffs, teams from 4th to 13th place - with indicators of “3-2” and “2-3” - will play in the qualifying round for the right to continue the fight. The fina