The International 2025

A Return to Germany

The International 2025 marked a significant return for the championship. For the first time since the inaugural event in 2011, the tournament was hosted in Germany. The playoffs took place at the Barclays Arena in Hamburg from September 11 to 14, bringing the top level of Dota 2 esports back to European soil after many years.

This edition was also notable for being the first since 2017 where Valve did not reveal a new hero during the event. The focus remained squarely on the competition between the world's best teams.

Tournament Format and Structure

The competition was split into two distinct phases, The Road to The International and the main event. The Road to The International was held entirely online from September 4 to 7. It began with a group stage using a Swiss-system format, where all matches were best-of-three series.

The top three teams from this stage advanced directly to the playoffs in Hamburg. Teams placing 4th through 13th entered an elimination round, consisting of five best-of-three matches. The winners of these matches earned the final spots at the main event. The remaining teams from the group stage were eliminated.

The main event at the Barclays Arena followed a classic double-elimination format. All matches in the playoffs were best-of-three, with the sole exception of the grand final, which was a best-of-five series to decide the champion. The event featured eight teams in this final bracket.

Team Qualification and Pre-Event Drama

A total of sixteen teams competed in The International 2025. In May, Valve directly invited eight teams it stated had risen above the rest. The remaining eight spots were determined through a series of Open and Regional Qualifiers held online. The Open Qualifiers ran from May 31 to June 5, followed by the Regional Qualifiers from June 4 to 17.

The tournament was not without pre-event drama. In August, one of the directly invited teams, Gaimin Gladiators, withdrew due to internal matters between the players and the organization. They were replaced by Yakutou Brothers. Following the tournament's conclusion, Gaimin Gladiators filed a lawsuit for C$7.5 million against four of their former players, who were no longer part of the team at that time.

The Champion's Run and Prize Distribution

Team Falcons emerged victorious from the field of sixteen, securing the championship title and the lion's share of the $2.88 million prize pool. Their path to victory culminated in a hard-fought grand final against the leading Chinese team Xtreme Gaming.

The final series went the full distance, a demonstration of the closely matched skill of both teams. After five intense games, Team Falcons prevailed with a 3-2 scoreline to lift the Aegis of Champions. For their victory, Team Falcons earned $1,140,035 in prize money. The total prize pool of $2,881,791 was distributed among all participating teams.

Event Legacy and Historical Context

The International 2025 followed the established blueprint of separating the initial qualification battles from the main stage spectacle. The online group stage and elimination rounds in early September whittled the field down to the final eight contenders.

These eight teams then traveled to Hamburg for the four-day playoff spectacle at the Barclays Arena. By returning to Germany and delivering a dramatic final, TI 2025 reinforced The International's status as a global touring championship that crowns the undisputed best team in Dota 2 each year. As the 14th edition, commonly called TI 14, it continued the event's role as the definitive world championship for the game.