The International 2026: Valve Announces Tournament Dates

Valve announced that The International 2026 will take place from 13.08.2026 to 23.08.2026 in Shanghai, China. This information appeared in a document outlining requirements for the tournament’s casters.

The qualifier stage will start on June 9 and end on June 28. This means the premier Dota 2 event returns to a summer format for the first time since 2019, after four years of autumn editions.

It is worth noting that the Riyadh Masters 2025 qualifiers were also held in June. It is likely that the Esports World Cup 2026 organizers will adjust the dates to avoid overlapping with TI15.

In addition, Valve has allowed casting and streaming of TI15 matches without prior approval. The main requirement is the complete absence of advertising on broadcasts.

The official tournament cast will be available in four languages: English, Chinese, Russian, and Spanish. Companies wishing to cover the championship in other languages may submit separate applications, but they will not be granted access to the venue itself. Valve will also begin accepting applications from streaming platforms.

As a reminder, Team Falcons became the champions of The International 2025, defeating the Chinese team Xtreme Gaming with a 3–2 score in the grand final. The venue for the next championship was also announced during this event.

Earlier, Cyberscore reported that Dota 2 lost its top position in the annual prize money ranking for the first time in five years.