The International 2026 Invites & Qualifiers Announced
Valve has announced the invites for The International 2026, the premier annual championship for Dota 2. Seven teams have received direct invitations to the 16-team tournament, while the remaining nine spots will be contested through regional qualifiers beginning June 15.
The invited teams are Aurora Gaming, BoomBoys (the renamed BetBoom roster), Team Falcons, Team Liquid, Tundra Esports, Xtreme Gaming, and Team Yandex. The announcement included some surprises regarding which teams earned direct invites based on their recent performance.
The qualifying phase kicks off with the China regional qualifier on June 15, which will offer two slots to the main event. Other regions will have their own qualifying tournaments leading up to the main championship.
The International 2026 will take place in Shanghai from August 13-23, with all 16 teams competing for the ultimate prize in Dota 2 esports: the Aegis of Champions. This marks the 15th iteration of The International, Dota 2’s flagship annual world championship that draws top professional teams from around the globe.