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Dota 2 The International 2027 Preview
The International 2027, also known as TI 16, will be the sixteenth edition of Dota 2's flagship event. Full details, including the dates, host city and prize pool, are yet to be confirmed by Valve. As soon as they are announced, we will update this page. As in recent years, sixteen teams are expected to compete for the sport's biggest prize.
Group Stage
- Swiss system of sixteen teams
- All matches are Bo3
- Top three teams advance to playoffs
- 4th to 13th place teams proceed to an elimination round
- Remaining teams are eliminated
- Elimination Round
- Five teams advance to playoffs
- Remaining teams are eliminated
The format above reflects recent editions and is yet to be confirmed for 2027.
Main Event
- Double-elimination bracket
- Grand Final is Bo5, all other matches are Bo3
Where can I watch Dota 2: The International?
The Official dota2 YouTube channel is the place to be for all of the action; watch the tournament live or catch up on past matches with videos saved on the channel, as well as team interviews throughout the tournament.
Where can I find the Dota 2 The International Schedule and Standings?
The best place to keep up-to-date over the qualifying stages and the final tournament itself is the Dota 2 The International Liquipedia page. Once the final details are tied up, you will be able to find the upcoming matches, results and standings for The International 2027 tournament all on there.
Where can I bet on the Dota 2 The International?
On OLBG, we have a dedicated guide looking at the best eSports betting sites, so head over to find a site that suits your betting needs.
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Who has won the Tournament?
The most successful team in the history of the International is Team Spirit, who in 2026 became the first side ever to win three titles. Their first win came in 2021, then two years later they defeated GG in the 2023 Grand Final, before adding a third by beating Team Vision in the 2026 Grand Final.
Two teams have won dual championships. The first to do so was OG, who, after their win in 2018, also won the tournament a year later in 2019.
The other team to record two wins is Liquid. Their first win came in 2017, and they had to wait seven years for their second title in 2024.
The remaining seven tournaments have been won by teams that have only recorded a single championship win.
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How do Returning Champions Fare?
The Returning Champions
Up until 2019, the reigning champions didn't have the greatest of records for the following year, Natus Vincere went on to finish runner-up after winning it in 2011 but the next three winners returned to finish 5th-6th, 11th-12th & 13th-16th so unable to defend their titles, Evil Geniuses did put in a better performance after their win in 2015 to finish third in 2016.
The Wings didn't compete after their title, and then Liquid finished fourth, and OG won so as time has gone on, the champions have been putting up better defences of their titles although on their attempt for a third title OG failed to finish in the top six in 2021.
Team Spirit, who won it in 2021, could only finish 6th in their group in 2022 and then lost to BOOM in round one of the lower brackets. The 2022 winner, Tundra, returned to finish top of their group but lost in their seeding decider, which put them in the lower bracket, where they went out in round one, losing to Entity.
The 2023 champions, Team Spirit, went on to top their group in 2024; however, they lost in their seeding decider match, which put them in the lower bracket. After making it through the first round, they ended up being knocked out in the second round by Xtreme Gaming.
The 2024 winners, Liquid, could only manage 8th during the group stage, which put them into an eliminator against Tundra, which they lost 2-1.
The 2025 champions, Falcons, made a solid start in 2026, finishing among the top three in their group to earn a direct playoff berth. However, they lost their opening playoff match to Nigma Galaxy and were then knocked out in the lower bracket by Liquid, who beat them 2-1.
Heading into the 2027 tournament, the reigning champions are Team Spirit; so we will see how they cope with the 'defending champions' title in 2027 as they bid for a remarkable fourth title.
The Last 10 Winners
One thing that is clear from the winners list, if you overlook the teams, is the prize pool and how drastically it has dropped over the years.
It hit a high in 2021 with $40 million, but it is now only a fraction of that after Valve changed how the pool is funded; the 2026 tournament had a prize pool of $3.4 million.
| Tournament | Prize | Top 2 |
|---|---|---|
| The International 2026 Shanghai | $3,355,417 | 1: TSpirit 2: Team Vision |
| The International 2025 Hamburg | $2,776,566 | 1: Falcons 2: Xtreme Gaming |
| The International 2024 Copenhagen | $2,602,164 | 1: Liquid 2: GG |
| The International 2023 Seattle | $3,322,896 | 1: TSpirit 2: GG |
| The International 2022 Singapore | $18,930,775 | 1: Tundra 2: Secret |
| The International 2021 Bucharest | $40,018,195 | 1: TSpirit 2: PSG.LCD |
| The International 2019 Shanghai | $34,330,068 | 1: OG 2: Liquid |
| The International 2018 Vancouver | $25,532,177 | 1: OG 2: PSG.LGD |
| The International 2017 Seattle | $24,787,916 | 1: Liquid 2: Newbee |
| The International 2016 Seattle | $20,770,460 | 1: Wings 2: DC |
What is Dota 2?
Published and developed by Valve, Dota 2 was released in 2013, four years after development started on the game. The game is a MOBA (Multiplayer Online Battle Arena) and falls into the same category as the likes of League of Legends (LoL).
The aim of the game is pretty simple, and there is no need to overcomplicate it. There are two teams, each consisting of five players, and each player takes control of what is called a 'Hero'. These are characters with different skills and weaknesses, and there are over 127 different Heroes to pick from.
So it's 5 vs 5, and the main aim is to defend your own 'Ancient' whilst trying to destroy the other team's. To put that in simpler terms: two teams of five players, each defending their own castle whilst trying to destroy their opponents'. Destroy theirs first, and you win. An 'Ancient', as mentioned, is a large structure.
During the match, each Hero can pick up experience points as well as items that help them defeat their opponents. Things that can be improved include areas such as health and attack speed.
Below you can find a YouTube video to help you better understand what Dota 2 is, how the game is played and much more.
Article Contributor
Andy maintains OLBG's Dota 2 The International coverage, keeping the statistics, results and tournament details up to date throughout the event. A keen follower of esports, he brings a solid understanding of the game and the competitive scene to the page.
About the author
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