Valve Announces Details for The International 2025

The most anticipated Dota 2 event of the year, The International 2025, is approaching, and Valve has officially announced its schedule and format. In a blog post on Steam, the tournament organizers outlined the structure of the competition and confirmed the ticket sale date.

Road to The International

• Dates: September 4-7, 2025
• Teams: 16
• Format: Swiss system (best-of-3 matches)
• Advancement: Top 8 teams qualify for the main event

The Road to The International will feature 16 teams competing in a Swiss-style format, where squads must secure four victories in best-of-three matches over five rounds to advance directly to the main tournament. Teams that suffer four losses will be eliminated. The remaining ten teams will compete in an additional round to determine the final five spots in the main event.

The International 2025 Main Event

• Dates: September 11-14, 2025
• Venue: Barclays Arena, Hamburg, Germany
• Teams: 8
• Format: Double-elimination bracket
• Grand Final: Best-of-5

The playoff stage will follow a double-elimination format, with all eight teams starting in the upper bracket. Initial matchups will be determined based on their performance in the earlier stage. Most matches will be best-of-three, while the grand final will be a best-of-five showdown to crown the Dota 2 world champion.

Ticket Sales

Fans eager to witness the action live can purchase tickets starting April 15, 2025 on AXS.com.

Valve has emphasized that the new format aims to address past criticisms of The International, particularly concerning scheduling issues that forced teams to play matches both in the morning and late at night. The revamped structure is designed to offer a smoother and more competitive experience for both players and fans.

Stay tuned for more updates as The International 2025 draws closer!