The International 2025, Dota 2’s Biggest Battle Begins

The most important Dota2 tournament of the year, The International 2025, is about to begin.

Tournament stages:

STAGE 1: "Road to The International" (September 4-7, 2025)

Swiss format, 5 rounds, best-of-3.

• Out of 16 teams:
• 3 teams with 4 wins go straight to the playoffs.
• 3 teams with 4 losses are eliminated.
• 10 teams with intermediate results go to a special qualifying round.

Qualifying round:

• 10 remaining teams play (BO3), where the top seeds meet the bottom seeds.
• 5 teams go to the playoffs, 5 are eliminated.

Total: 8 teams (3 + 5) go to the main stage, 8 are eliminated.

STAGE 2: «The International» (September 11–14, 2025)

• All 8 teams start in the upper bracket.
• The tournament is held in a double-elimination, best-of-3 system (except for the final, which is most likely Bo5).
• Two losses — and the team is eliminated

Participants:

Direct invitations:

• Team Liquid
• PARIVISION
• BetBoom Team
• All Gamers Global
• Gaimin Gladiators
• Team Spirit
• Team Falcons
• Tundra Esports

Regional qualifiers:

• Natus Vincere
• Nigma Galaxy
• Aurora Gaming
• Xtreme Gaming
• Team Nemesis
• BOOM Esports
• Wildcard Gaming
• Heroic

Prize fund:

• 1st place — $500,000 and 1,000 EWC points;
• 2nd place — $230,000 and 750 EWC points;
• 3rd place — $130,000 and 500 EWC points;
• 4th place — $70,000 and 300 EWC points;
• 5th–8th places — $40,000 and 200 EWC points;
• 9th–16th places — $20,000