The International 2026 begins its Shanghai campaign

The International 2026 begins in Shanghai on August 13, bringing Dota 2’s annual championship back to China and back to an August schedule. Valve’s official ticket announcement set the arena portion for August 20–23 at the Mercedes-Benz Arena, following the opening phase of competition.

The International 2026 begins: confirmed details

Valve announced eight direct invitations and a further eight places through regional qualifiers. The invited field was determined before the qualifiers, allowing those teams to prepare directly for Shanghai while the remaining contenders played for the last routes into the tournament. The official event information also confirmed that live audience days are concentrated in the final four-day arena block.

What changed for players

The split between the opening phase and the arena changes the stakes without changing the objective. Early matches establish which teams reach the public stage; the final days decide who lifts the Aegis of Champions. For international viewers, the Shanghai location also shifts broadcast hours compared with recent European and North American Dota events, making the official schedule the safest reference for local start times.

Availability and lasting context

This is the first International in China since the 2019 edition in Shanghai. Valve announced ticketing and the field months earlier, but the competition itself starts on August 13, 2026, which is the current event reported here. Roster changes, match results and bracket eliminations should be treated as separate updates once they appear in Valve’s official event coverage.

This report separates features released on the stated date from later patches and community expectations. Balance values and platform support can change, but the documented release history remains the same.

Sources: primary release notes or official records and supporting tournament or product documentation. Factual claims were checked against these records; interpretation is our own.

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