Valve Corporation has once again made waves in the esports world by officially announcing the opening of registration for the prestigious The International 2026 tournament. This tournament is the pinnacle of the annual competition for Dota 2 and is always highly anticipated by millions of fans around the world.

Registration for The International 2026 is now open and will officially close on May 18, 2026. After the registration period ends, Valve will conduct a selection process before announcing the teams that successfully qualify through the direct invite route. This invitation path is usually given to teams with the best performances throughout the competitive season, making it one of the most anticipated moments for the community.

In addition, there will also be regional qualification phases that can be participated in by other Dota 2 teams that do not receive direct invites. Typically, Valve grants direct invitations to teams that have shown the strongest performances in major Dota 2 tournaments over the past year.

Dota 2 The International 2026 Will Be Held in Shanghai, China

For this year’s edition, The International 2026 is scheduled to take place from August 13 to August 23, 2026, in Shanghai, China. The selection of Shanghai as the host city marks the return of the tournament to one of the largest esports markets in the world. China is widely known for its massive Dota 2 fanbase and its electrifying competitive atmosphere.

A total of 16 teams will participate in The International 2026. These teams will consist of a combination of directly invited teams and squads that successfully qualify through regional qualifiers. This format ensures that the competition remains highly competitive while also giving teams from various regions the opportunity to showcase their skills on the international stage.

Interestingly, Team Falcons will enter the tournament as the defending champions after winning The International 2025. Their status as reigning champions naturally makes them one of the most closely watched teams, as well as the primary target for other teams aiming to claim the Dota 2 world championship title.

With the registration deadline approaching, professional teams are now racing to prepare themselves in order to secure a spot at The International 2026. The upcoming announcement of the invited teams is expected to mark the beginning of massive hype leading up to one of the most prestigious esports tournaments in the world.

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