Dota 2 The International 2026 Runs August 13 to 23 in Shanghai With 16 Teams and a $2.9 Million Prize Pool

The International 2026 takes place in Shanghai from August 13 to 23, bringing together 16 Dota 2 teams to compete for the Aegis of Champions and a $2.9 million prize pool.

Seven teams received direct invitations, while nine others made it through regional qualifiers. Defending champions Team Falcons return to try for a second title, facing opponents such as TEAM VISION, Team Liquid, Team Spirit, Iron Wing, and Aurora Gaming. The Group Stage is scheduled for August 13 to 16, followed by the Playoffs at the Oriental Sports Center from August 20 to 23.

Team Falcons are looking to join OG, Team Spirit, and Team Liquid as two-time International champions.

TI 2026 Schedule, Format, and Early Standings

The event opens with a 16-team Swiss-system Group Stage from August 13 to 16, with all matches played as best-of-three. The top three teams move straight to the Main Event. Teams finishing 4th to 13th enter the Elimination Round, while the bottom three are eliminated.

In the Elimination Round, five teams advance to the Main Event and five are knocked out. The Main Event runs from August 20 to 23 as a double-elimination bracket. All matches are best-of-three, except for the grand final, which is best-of-five for the Aegis of Champions.

After the first matches, BoomBoys and TEAM VISION lead with 2-0 match records. BoomBoys have a 4-1 game record, while TEAM VISION are at 4-2. Team Spirit, Team Liquid, Aurora Gaming, and Team Yandex are each 1-0.

Team Falcons and LGD Gaming are both 1-1, along with Iron Wing and Nigma Galaxy. At the bottom of the standings, OG is 0-2 with a 0-4 game record, and Team Resilience is also 0-2. In their first matches, Falcons defeated LGD Gaming 2-1, then lost 2-1 to TEAM VISION.

Teams, Storylines, and Prize Distribution

The 16 teams include Aurora Gaming, BoomBoys, Team Falcons, Team Liquid, Iron Wing, Xtreme Gaming, and Team Yandex as direct invites. The qualifiers are Team Spirit, TEAM VISION, Nigma Galaxy, HULIGANI, Team Resilience, Vici Gaming, OG, LGD Gaming, and GamerLegion.

Team Falcons have several individual records at stake. Coach Kurtis "Aui_2000" Ling is aiming for a fourth title and a third as coach. Captain Wu "Sneyking" Jingjun and carry Oliver "skiter" Lepko are both looking to become the first players to win the Aegis three times. LGD Gaming are competing with Topson stepping in for the banned TaiLung.

The $2.9 million prize pool is split by final placement. The winner takes $1,235,379, or 42.5 percent of the total. Second place earns $377,934, third $261,574, and fourth $174,422.

Teams finishing 5th-6th receive $145,332 each, 7th-8th get $116,242, 9th-13th take $52,267, 14th-15th receive $29,090, and 16th place gets $14,545.

How to Watch and What to Watch For

The tournament is streamed live on the official Dota 2 TI 2026 channels, with four Twitch streams (A, B, C, and D) and coverage on YouTube. Match times are provided in CEST, UTC+8, and ET, so viewers will need to convert to their local time to keep up with specific games.

• Whether Team Falcons can win a second straight Aegis and join the list of two-time champions.
• The individual record pursuits by Sneyking and skiter, who are both aiming to become the first three-time Aegis winners.
• How BoomBoys and TEAM VISION, the early Group Stage leaders, perform as the Swiss format continues.
• LGD Gaming's results with Topson stepping in for the banned TaiLung.

The Group Stage continues through August 16, with the Playoffs set for August 20 to 23. Dot Esports will update the schedule, results, and standings as the tournament moves forward. Final placements and the champion will be confirmed after the grand final on August 23.

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