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A highly anticipated event in the world of esports, The International 2026 is just around the corner. This prestigious Dota 2 championship, marking its 15th anniversary, will be returning to its traditional late summer schedule, organized by Valve Corporation.
For all the latest updates on The International 2026, including dates, venue, team lineups, and live streams, Esports Charts has compiled comprehensive information. Viewers can also find viewership statistics and the match schedule on the official event page.
The International 2026 Dates and Venue
The International 2026 will bring together the top Dota 2 teams from around the world to compete for the prestigious Aegis of Champions. The event is set to take place from August 13 to 23, with the main showdown happening from August 20 to 23 at the Oriental Sports Center in Shanghai, China.
Get detailed insights into the popularity and reach of organizations and specific team lineups with Esports Charts Teams Dashboard. Discover which teams are driving the most engagement and viewership.
Interestingly, Shanghai was the host city for The International 2019, which turned out to be the final major Dota 2 tournament before the global esports scene was affected by the COVID-19 pandemic. That year, the championship was claimed by OG after defeating Team Liquid in a thrilling grand final.
The International 2026 Schedule & Format
The prestigious Dota 2 event will kick off with a Swiss-format group stage from August 13 to 16, followed by elimination rounds. The top eight teams will then proceed to the arena stage, with the playoff matches being held at the SPD Bank Oriental Sports Center.
Group Stage (August 13 to 16)
- Sixteen teams will compete in a high-stakes Swiss system, with all matches being best-of-three. The top three teams will advance directly to the Playoffs, while teams placing fourth to 13th will enter an elimination round. The ten teams in this round will battle it out, with the five winners progressing to the Playoffs.
Main Event (August 20 – 23)
- The main event will feature a double-elimination bracket. The Grand Final will be a best-of-five match, while all other matches will be played in a best-of-three format.
The International 2026 Livestreams
Official coverage of The International series will be broadcast on major platforms such as Twitch, YouTube, Facebook, as well as Chinese platforms like DouYu, Huya, and Bilibili for Asian viewers.
Official streams for The International 2026:
In addition to the official broadcasts, the event will feature various co-casters from studio shows and content creators. Fans can also choose to watch the tournament through their favorite Dota 2 streamers by visiting the game sections during the event.
The International 2026: All Teams & Players
Sixteen top teams from around the world will compete in the event, with a base prize pool of $1.6 million. Through in-game supporter content, the final prize pool has increased to approximately $2.8 million, with the winning team set to take home at least $1.2 million.
The team rosters listed below are based on the official page on Liquipedia. Any last-minute changes will be updated there, and please note that the roster includes players only, not coaches.
Aurora Gaming
BB Team
1w Team (competing as Iron Wing)
- Neta “33” Shapira
- Matthew “Whitemon” Filemon
- Matthew “Ari” Walker
- Ivan “Pure” Moskalenko
- Bozhidar “bzm” Bogdanov
Team Falcons
Team Liquid
Team Yandex
Xtreme Gaming
Team Spirit
PVISION
Nigma Galaxy
HULIGANI
Team Resilience
Vici Gaming
OG
GamerLegion
LGD Gaming
The International 2026 Viewership History
Despite facing challenges in retaining viewers post-pandemic, The International remains a significant event in the competitive gaming industry. The most popular edition to date is TI10, held in Romania in 2021, which saw a peak of over 2.7 million concurrent viewers.
After a period of decline, The International has started to show signs of recovery in the last two editions. In 2025, the event reached 1.78 million Peak Viewers during the grand final between Team Falcons and Xtreme Gaming, continuing a positive trend for the tournament.
Read also: How to watch EWC 2026 Counter-Strike
From August 13 onwards, all eyes will be on China as the top Dota 2 teams compete for the ultimate title. Esports Charts will provide coverage of all the news, action, and viewership data, available on the event’s official page.