- Dota 2 TI 2026 is set for August 13 through August 23, 2026, spanning 11 days.
- Shanghai, China, will host the event, bringing the tournament back to a region with a massive player base.
- Teams will compete for a spot in the tournament during a qualifying phase held from June 9 to June 28, 2026.
If you follow Dota 2 even casually, you’ve probably asked the same question everyone else is asking right now: when is TI 2026? The International is still the biggest event in Dota, and planning around it matters whether you’re a hardcore viewer or someone who only tunes in for the main stage.
The dates are locked in, and we finally know what to expect.
Dota 2 TI 2026 Dates (Confirmed)
The International 2026 will run from August 13 to August 23, 2026. That gives us an 11-day event, which lines up with how TI has been handled in recent years. Expect a packed schedule with group stages, playoffs, and a long main event stretch where things usually get intense.
TI 2026 will take place in Shanghai, China, marking another return of the tournament to Asia. This feels like a natural move considering how strong the Dota 2 fanbase is in the region and how well past events there have performed.
Mid-August has basically become TI season, and that’s unlikely to change anytime soon. It gives teams enough breathing room after qualifiers and lands at a time when fans are already used to setting aside days for long match schedules.
If you’ve watched past Internationals, you know the routine: marathon match days, awkward time zones depending on where you live, and last-minute meta shifts that shake everything up right before the main event.
Every TI brings more than just intense matches. The season usually sparks extra activity around Dota 2 items, as players buy, sell, and trade cosmetics more than usual. It’s just part of the hype that comes with TI season.
Shanghai also means a passionate crowd and high-energy games, which usually makes TI feel louder and more memorable.
TI 2026 Qualifiers: Where Everything Starts
Before any team makes it to the TI stage, they’ll need to survive the regional qualifiers, which are scheduled to run from June 9 to June 28, 2026. This part of the season is often overlooked, but it’s where some of the most stressful and emotional Dota is played.
Every year, big-name teams fail to qualify, surprise runs happen out of nowhere, and entire seasons are decided in just a few series. If you enjoy high-pressure matches, qualifiers are worth following closely.
After all these years, The International still isn’t “just another tournament.” It continues to define professional Dota and shape how the game is played at the highest level. Looking back at classic events like TI5, it’s easy to see why expectations remain so high. Those tournaments created moments that fans still talk about today and helped set the standard for what TI is supposed to be.
Whether TI 2026 lives up to that legacy is impossible to predict, but that uncertainty is part of what keeps people invested.
To keep it simple, The International 2026 takes place from August 13 to August 23, 2026, will be hosted in Shanghai, China, and will be preceded by regional qualifiers running from June 9 to June 28, 2026.
TI 2026 isn’t just another date on the esports calendar. It’s the event the entire Dota 2 season builds toward. With the schedule confirmed and the location locked in, all that’s left now is to see which teams survive the road to TI and who ends up lifting the Aegis.
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