TI 2025 Direct Invites and Qualifier Schedule Are Here

Valve just dropped the list of directly invited teams and the full schedule for the regional qualifiers for The International 2025, Dota 2’s biggest annual showdown. This year’s tournament will bring together 16 top teams : eight of them got a direct invite, while the other eight will have to fight their way in through regional qualifiers happening in June.

Just like in past years, eight of the best-performing squads so far in 2025 are getting straight passes to TI. Leading the lineup are last year’s champs, Team Liquid, along with Tundra Esports, Team Falcons, and Gaimin Gladiators from Western Europe; PARIVISION, BetBoom Team, and Team Spirit from Eastern Europe; and Team Tidebound representing China.

The remaining eight spots will be filled through regional qualifiers from June 4 to 17, with two regions playing at a time. Here’s how the slots break down:

• Western Europe and Southeast Asia: 2 teams each
• Eastern Europe, China, North America, and South America: 1 team each

Here's the full qualifier schedule:

June 4–8

Eastern Europe (1 slot)

• Aurora Gaming
• Natus Vincere
• NAVI Junior
• One Move
• L1GA TEAM
• Virtus.pro
• +4 from Open Qualifiers

South America (1 slot)

• HEROIC
• OG.LATAM
• Edge
• Team Den
• +6 from Open Qualifiers

June 9–12

North America (1 slot)

• Shopify Rebellion
• Wildcard
• +6 from Open Qualifiers

China (1 slot)

• Xtreme Gaming
• Yakult Brothers
• +6 from Open Qualifiers

June 13–17

Western Europe (2 slots)

• Nigma Galaxy
• MOUZ
• OG
• AVULUS
• +6 from Open Qualifiers

Southeast Asia (2 slots)

• TALON
• BOOM Esports
• Trailer Park Boys
• The MongolZ
• Ivory
• Execration
• +4 from Open Qualifiers

Mark Your Calendars: TI 2025 Happens in Hamburg, Germany

TI 2025 is set for September 4–14 in Hamburg, with the Playoffs happening at the iconic Barclays Arena. Fun fact: this is the first time since the original TI in 2011 that the event will be held in Germany—where the Dota 2 journey first began with a $1 million prize pool that shook the esports world.

This year’s tournament will be split into two main phases:

1. The Road to The International (Sept 4–7)

This will include a Swiss-format Group Stage and a Special Elimination Round. All 16 teams play five best-of-three matches in the Group Stage.

• Win 4 series? You move on to the Playoffs.
• Lose 4? You're out.
• Three teams will move forward immediately, three will be eliminated, and the other 10 will battle it out in the Elimination Round.

In the Special Elimination Round, high seeds will go up against low seeds in knockout matches to decide who joins the top eight in the Playoffs.

2. The International (Playoffs) (Sept 11–14)

The Playoffs stick to the classic double-elimination format. Unlike previous years, all eight qualified teams will start in the upper bracket.

• All matches are best-of-three, except for the Grand Finals, which will be a full best-of-five battle for the legendary Aegis of Champions.