This year, The International 2026 in Dota 2 returns to China. The tournament will take place in August, and preparations have already begun with an updated participant registration system.
All teams wishing to take part in the tournament must complete official registration on the designated website. The process consists of several stages. First, a team representative registers the roster in the system, after which each player must join the team individually.
The team representative is required to sign a participation agreement. In particular, it includes requirements to ensure equal and fair treatment of all players.
To be eligible for a direct invitation to The International or regional qualifiers, teams must complete the registration process by midnight between May 18 and 19 (Kyiv time), which corresponds to 14:00 on May 18 (Pacific Time).
As a reminder, HEROIC have left the professional Dota 2 scene.