SteamWednesday, August 12, 2026
The International: Streams, Secret Shop, and More
[img src=""]It's the final countdown: Players and talent have landed, and all of the pieces are falling into place to make Shanghai the center of the Dota universe for the next two weeks. It's time to finish crafting your fantasy rosters, lock in your first round of predictions, and get ready to tune in because The International 2026 is almost underway.Whether you're looking to watch online, find Dota activities in Shanghai to keep you busy until streams start, or looking for merch you can wear while you're out in Shanghai waiting for games to start, we've got you covered below.
The International Group Stage
Sixteen teams have earned the right to compete for the Aegis of Champions in Shanghai, but only eight will face off in the main event. First, they must survive the gauntlet of the Swiss Format Group Stage.Group Stage games begin on Thursday, August 13 and wrap on Sunday, August 16. In that span, all sixteen teams will play best-of-three matches against other teams with the same overall series record. A fourth series win will earn a team an automatic berth at The International; a fourth loss will result in elimination.By end of play on Saturday, three teams will have secured spots in The International and three teams will have been eliminated. The ten remaining teams will face off in a special elimination round to decide the rest. Every single one of the five series on Sunday will send one team home and the other onward to the main event.The International Main Event
On Thursday, August 20, The International will move to SPD Bank Oriental Sports Center and open the doors to more than ten thousand fans. Four days of intense play through a double-elimination bracket will culminate in the Grand Finals on Sunday, August 23, and only then will the last team stand victorious and raise the Aegis of Champions.Tickets for the event are sold out, but there are tons of ways to watch online — and even a handful of special in-person opportunities available around the city of Shanghai.Tournament Streams
There's nothing quite like watching the best Dota players in the world face off in a live event, and while life and accompanying biological imperatives can make it difficult to try and watch every single game live, here are all the links you'd need to make a glorious attempt.Chinese: Twitch: Stream A, Stream B, Stream C, Stream D; Steam: All Streams; YouTube: All StreamsEnglish: Twitch: Stream A, Stream B, Stream C, Stream D; Steam: All Streams; YouTube: All StreamsRussian: Twitch: Stream A, Stream B, Stream C, Stream D; Steam: All Streams; YouTube: All StreamsSpanish: Twitch: Stream A, Stream B, Stream C, Stream D; Steam: All Streams; YouTube: All Streams; Facebook: All StreamsDota 2 Heroes Around Shanghai
From August 13 to August 18, multiple Dota heroes will descend upon iconic landmarks across Shanghai, with a giant Aegis of Champions making its grand debut. Meanwhile, several commercial districts have set up check-in spots for fans to visit and collect souvenirs.Check out the landmark details below or visit Perfect World's Shanghai Dota Tour site for a handy map.Dota Hero Landmark Locations:- Wujiaochang Commercial District[/*]
- Wujiaochang Guangchang: Aegis of Champions[/*]
- Bailian ZX Fun Mall: Queen of Pain, Axe, and Pudge[/*]
- Shanghai Wujiaochang Wanda Plaza: Juggernaut[/*]
- Lujiazui Super Brand Mall (Aug 12-18): Windranger[/*]
- Shanghai EXPO Culture Park (Aug 13-18): Mars and Shadow Fiend[/*]
- Taikoo Li Qiantan (Aug 18–24): Aegis of Champions, Drow Ranger, Crystal Maiden, and Juggernaut[/*]
- Standard Check-in Spots: Lujiazui 96 Plaza, New bund 31, Shanghai No. 1 Shopping Center, Expo Place[/*]
The Secret Shops
If you're looking to scope out this year's merchandise offerings, our partner stores are already online for both Chinese and international customers.- For China domestic fans: https://wmsjdj.tmall.com/ [/*]
- For fans everywhere else: https://pwrdesports.aliexpress.com/[/*]