Dota 2 developer and publisher Valve has officially announced that The International 2025, the most prestigious Dota 2 tournament every year, will present a new format.
Held at the Barclays Arena, Hamburg, Germany, this year The International will carry a five-round Swiss Stage system, replacing the traditional Group Stage format used in previous editions.
In an official announcement on the Dota 2 website, Valve explained that this change was made so that “every match has meaning and stakes”.
The Path to The International Now Uses Swiss Stage
This new format will take place from September 4 to 7, 2025, as part of “The Road to The International”. A total of 16 teams will compete in a best-of-three format, against other teams with the same match record during the first three days.
Teams that achieve 4 wins automatically qualify for the playoffs.
Teams that experience 4 losses will be immediately eliminated from the tournament.
The remaining 10 teams will advance to the situs gacor elimination round, where the team with the highest performance will face the weakest team. The 5 winners from this round will advance to the playoffs, while the rest will be eliminated.
Valve also stated:
“The Swiss format is challenging, but we have made sure that fans know when their favorite teams will compete. Additionally, no team with a winning record will have to play back-to-back matches.”
The International Finals and Best-of-Five Grand Finals
Only 8 teams out of the 16 will advance to the Playoff Stage, which is fewer than last year. The playoffs will be held from September 11-14, 2025, using a double-elimination format.
All matches will be played in a best-of-three format, except for the Grand Final, which will be a best-of-five series.
Valve added in their blog:
“The first The International lasted just five days at GamesCom in Cologne. Over the course of over a decade, we’ve learned a lot each year — from booth design, sponsorships, to tournament details.”
“We always try to keep the best of our previous decisions, while looking for new variations that can provide a better experience.”
The International 2025 promises to be a more competitive and engaging format for both spectators and participants. With a Swiss Stage full of risks and opportunities, and an intense playoff, Dota 2 fans can look forward to this year’s epic event with great anticipation.