The International 2026: Valve reveals the host city of the year’s main tournament
Valve officially revealed the city that will host the next The International. The main Dota 2 tournament in 2026 will be held in Shanghai, China. The announcement came right after the conclusion of the TI14 lower bracket final.
Initially, China and Kazakhstan were among the candidates to host the event, but in the end, the choice fell on Shanghai. The city had already hosted The International 2019 at the Mercedes-Benz Arena. That tournament was remembered not only for its scale but also for organizational issues: the group stage start was delayed by nearly an hour due to server problems.
English caster Tobi TobiWan Dawson reported on the issue, while Vitalii v1lat Volochai noted that weather conditions contributed to the disruptions. Many fans and viewers at the time pointed out the weaknesses in the event’s organization.
At the same time, TI9 went down in history for several reasons. It was there that OG became the first team ever to win The International twice in a row. That edition was also special for fans thanks to Gabe Newell’s presence at the opening ceremony, where he delivered for the last time his iconic phrase: “Welcome to The International!”
The new championship will take place in August 2026. For China, it will be the second TI in history and a major milestone for the local esports community.
Earlier, CyberScore.live reported that Team Spirit will undergo roster changes after The International 2025.
by CyberScore