The International 2026: Valve Reveals Dates and Format

The year is just getting started, but Valve has already revealed the dates for each stage of The International 2026. This year, the tournament will return to Shanghai, which previously hosted TI in 2019.

While news of TI returning to China has been public since the end of TI 2025, the detailed schedule for each stage is fresh information. The Open Qualifiers will kick off in June, and the Main Event will take place in August.

The International 2026: Back to August

Although The International has traditionally been held in August, there was a period when the event was pushed later into the year. In recent editions, Valve has made a clear effort to bring it back to its original timeframe.

This year’s Open Qualifiers will run from June 9–12, followed by the Closed Qualifiers from June 15–28. After the Closed Qualifiers wrap up, July will most likely serve as a preparation period for qualified teams.

The Main Event begins with a Swiss-style Group Stage from August 13–16, where teams will compete to secure one of eight spots in the playoffs, scheduled for August 20–23.

The International 2026 also marks the tournament’s 15th anniversary and will welcome the world’s best Dota teams to battle for the Aegis of Champions at the Oriental Sports Center in Shanghai.

A Swiss-style Group Stage

Alongside the stage dates, Dota 2’s official blog post also confirmed the return of the Swiss-style Group Stage. TI 2025 featured a modified version of the classic Swiss format.

Sixteen teams entered the Group Stage: the top three advanced directly to the playoffs, the bottom three were eliminated, and the remaining ten faced off in an additional elimination round to determine the final five playoff spots.

While Valve hasn’t shared many additional details, we do know that this year’s Group Stage will once again determine eight playoff slots. What remains unclear is whether the same format from last year will be reused.

Closing Thoughts

Valve has once again confirmed that August is the month of The International 2026, along with the return of a Swiss-style Group Stage.

Since Swiss formats were introduced to Dota 2, we’ve seen several variations. TI 2025 offered a particularly creative approach, and it may return this year, putting Xtreme Gaming to the test once again.

Will China finally end Europe’s near-decade-long streak of TI championships? If you want to find out, join us and follow all the updates on our news page at Strafe!

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