The biggest tournament in the Dota 2 calendar is back: The International 2026 kicked off today at the Shanghai Oriental Sports Center and runs until August 23rd. To open the Swiss-style group stage, defending champions Team Spirit triumphed over Xtreme Gaming.
How the Tournament is Structured
The group stage runs in a Swiss format from August 13th to 16th: Instead of playing in fixed groups, teams will face new opponents repeatedly based on their current record until winner's and loser's paths are clearly established. Those who survive the group stage advance to the playoffs, which begin on August 20th and will decide the winner of the Aegis of Champions, the tournament's legendary trophy, in a knockout format.
Team Spirit Kicks Off with a Win
For Team Spirit, who have won the TI trophy multiple times, the opening victory against Xtreme Gaming is a solid start to a tournament traditionally considered the most prestigious and financially lucrative event in the entire Dota 2 scene. Xtreme Gaming, for their part, ranks among the strongest Chinese teams in recent years and, despite the opening loss in the Swiss system, should still get ample opportunity to qualify for the playoffs – the format is much more forgiving of individual early slip-ups than classic group stages.
Why TI Remains So Important for the Scene
From our perspective, even after more than a decade, The International remains the flagship event of Dota 2 esports: No other tournament combines a comparable mix of prize pool history, viewership numbers, and emotional significance for the community. The fact that the tournament is taking place in Shanghai again this year also underscores how central the Chinese market has become for the Dota 2 scene – both in terms of viewership and the number of competitive top teams.
Source: Esports Charts, Dot Esports
Are you following The International 2026 live? Tell us in the comments who your favorite to win the Aegis is!
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