The International 2025, Dota 2’s biggest tournament of the year, will be held in Hamburg, Germany. Valve announced that the event will take place at the 16,000-capacity Barclays Arena from September 11th to 14th.
The International 2025 — Barclays Arena, Hamburg, Germany — September 11-14, 2025 — 16 Teams via direct invites, regional qualifiers and open qualifiers. Mark your calendars. #TI14 #Dota2 pic.twitter.com/PZsH7BCrhR
— Wykrhm Reddy (@wykrhm) January 22, 2025
This marks the first time The International will be hosted in Germany since its inaugural tournament in 2011, which took place during Gamescom in Cologne.
Over the years, the event has been held in various locations worldwide, including Seattle, Vancouver, Bucharest, Shanghai, and Singapore.
In case you missed it: The International 2025 comes to Hamburg, Germany. https://t.co/2zqy79SL53 #Dota2 pic.twitter.com/3pAKA5IryB
— Wykrhm Reddy (@wykrhm) January 22, 2025
Valve revealed that 16 teams will participate in The International 2025, with a mix of direct invitations, open qualifiers, and regional qualifiers. More details on invites and qualifiers will be announced later.
The developer urged fans to stay tuned for ticketing and event scheduling information.
the International returns to Hamburg
Dota 2 remains one of the largest esports in the world.
We get to see Dota on LAN this weekend! 🎉 pic.twitter.com/sNBubwNmyV
— GG | Gaimin Gladiators ⚔️ (@GaiminGladiator) January 22, 2025
The 2024 edition of The International saw peak viewing figures of 1.43 million during the Grand Finals. Last year’s finalists are set to face off in several tournaments before The International 2025, with some events scheduled as early as February. In a statement, Valve shared their excitement: “The stars have aligned and the stage is once again being set for cosmic battle.
And this time, that battle has returned to where it all began: Germany, the site of The International’s humble debut on the world stage. Now, fourteen years later, The International returns to Germany, to Hamburg’s Barclays Arena, September 11th – 14th — in front of, we trust, a slightly bigger crowd this time around.”
The 2025 tournament promises to be an exciting event for Dota 2 fans worldwide, with a year full of competitive events leading up to it. Fans and players alike are eager to experience The International on German soil once again, reviving memories of the tournament’s humble beginnings while looking ahead to its future.
Stay tuned for more updates and comprehensive coverage as we get closer to The International 2025.
Noah Nguyen is a multi-talented developer who brings a unique perspective to his craft. Initially a creative writing professor, he turned to Dev work for the ability to work remotely. He now lives in Seattle, spending time hiking and drinking craft beer with his fiancee.
