The 14th edition of DOTA 2’s The International (TI2025) is set to take place in Europe, specifically in Hamburg, Germany. After being held in various countries, TI is returning to its home continent this year, promising an intense battle for the Aegis of Champions at the Barclays Arena.

Participating Teams at DOTA 2 The International 2025

A total of 16 teams will compete in this year’s The International. These teams consist of 8 direct invites and 8 teams who qualified through regional qualifiers. Unfortunately, Gaiming Gladiators withdrew from the tournament, and Valve, the tournament organizer, announced Yakutou Brothers as their replacement.

Direct Invites:

• Team Liquid
• PARIVISION
• BetBoom Team
• Team Tidebound
• Team Spirit
• Team Falcons
• Tundra Esports
• Yakutou Brothers

Regional Qualifiers:

• Western Europe: NAVI, Nigma Galaxy
• Eastern Europe: Aurora Gaming
• China: Xtreme Gaming
• Southeast Asia: Team Nemesis, BOOM Esports
• North America: Wildcard
• South America: HEROIC

The International 2025 Schedule & Format

Tournament Schedule:

• The Road to The International (Group Stage + Special Elimination Round): September 4–7, 2025
• Playoffs: September 11–14, 2025
• Grand Finals: September 14, 2025, at the Barclays Arena, Hamburg

Competition Format:

• Group Stage (Swiss-system):
  • 16 teams, with every match being a Best-of-3 (Bo3).
  • Teams with a 4-0 record advance directly to the Playoffs.
  • Teams with a 0-4 record are eliminated.
  • The remaining 10 teams will proceed to a Special Elimination Round.
• Special Elimination Round:
  • Teams will fight for the remaining 5 slots to the Playoffs.
• Playoffs:
  • A double-elimination bracket format.
  • All matches are Bo3, except for the Grand Finals, which will be a Best-of-5 (Bo5).

Prize Pool and Cultural Significance

This year’s TI is poised to be one of the most exciting in DOTA 2 history, with a nostalgic location, a high-stakes format, and intriguing team dynamics. The prize pool is crowdfunded through the sale of the DOTA 2 The International 2025 Compendium, with a portion of the proceeds directly contributing to the prize pool. At the start of the tournament, the total prize pool has reached $2,399,299, or around 39.5 billion Indonesian Rupiah.

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