Gabe Newell announced The International 2026 will be hosted in Shanghai, China. It marks a return to the city after 7 years.
Gabe Newell himself revealed The International 2026 will be held in Shanghai, China. The announcement came during the Grand Finals at TI14 being held in Hamburg, Germany.
The International 2026 will be in Shanghai, China
TI15 will mark a return to Shanghai, which played host to The International 9 back in 2019. The last time a Dota 2 International took place in Asia was for TI11 in Singapore in 2021. Both TI13 and TI14 were held in Europe, Dota 2's strongest region for the last 5 years.
TI | Year | Location |
|---|---|---|
| TI1 | 2011 | Cologne, Germany |
| TI2 | 2012 | Seattle, USA |
| TI3 | 2013 | Seattle, USA |
| TI4 | 2014 | Seattle, USA |
| TI5 | 2015 | Seattle, USA |
| TI6 | 2016 | Seattle, USA |
| TI7 | 2017 | Seattle, USA |
| TI8 | 2018 | Vancouver, Canada |
| TI9 | 2019 | Shanghai, China |
| TI10 | 2021 | Bucharest, Romania |
| TI11 | 2022 | Singapore |
| TI12 | 2023 | Seattle, USA |
| TI13 | 2024 | Copenhagen, Denmark |
| TI14 | 2025 | Hamburg, Germany |
| TI15 | 2026 | Shanghai, China |
Is Dota 2 as a game still popular in China?
Dota 2 as a game is significantly less popular in China than it was in 2019, and even more so when compared to the golden age from TI3 to TI8 era. At the end of August 2025, Dota 2 didn't even break into the top 20 most played games in China's extensive network of netcafes. Yet, its closest rival League of Legends, is consistently top 3.
It must be said though, that even an "unpopular" game in China, could still have a bigger player base than the most popular game in another country.
Dota 2’s decline in China comes from several factors. First, since 2019 more stringent government restrictions exist for under 18s. As of 2021, under 18s may only game 3 hours a week and on holidays.
This has put a stranglehold on China's ability to develop new Dota 2 players, an issue that is also an issue for League of Legends. Meanwhile, many of the iconic Dota 2 players from China such as Lu “Somnus / Maybe” Yao, Bai "rOtK" Fan and Zeng “Ori” Jiaoyang have long since retired.
Another issue is the rise of mobile gaming, with Dota 2 a PC-only game this is a strike against its appeal. Add to that the significant marketing push of other publishers such as Tencent, compared to Valve's publisher in China Perfect World, and it's clear why Dota 2 has the odds stacked against it.
China remains a good location for The International
Despite Dota 2's decline in popular in China, in terms of audience, logistics and location, China is the go-to destination for esports events. What is more, Chinese fans have never failed to be a vocal voice in TI audiences around the globe. a Chinese TI will give a chance for the game to perhaps win some love back.
For Valve and Perfect World it could also be incredibly lucrative, for example, with China-inspired Immortal Bundles. Earlier this month, Riot Games made $35 million in five days from a VALORANT VCT Champions skin bundle on Chinese social media platform Douyin.
The International 2026 taking place in Shanghai will almost certainly be a spectacle. The opening ceremony in 2019 was a thing to behold with a live orchestra, Chinese war drums and classical Chinese fan dancers in an 18,000 seater Mercedes-Benz Arena in Shanghai. How will they level up seven years later?
