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Prize3,500 FACEIT Points
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Dota 2 community cups and Valve qualifier windows when they are actually open.
Browse Dota 2 competitions →Path to Pro
Five → cups → next Valve window
The International
If you are good at Dota, start with a five and play open community cups while you wait for Valve’s next published qualifier window. The International 2026 open qualifiers (9–12 June) and regional qualifiers (15–28 June) are finished. TI itself is the Shanghai LAN (groups 13–16 August, arena 20–23 August 2026) — spectator, not signup. There is no current open TI qualifier to enter.
Your next step
Step 1 of 4
Use ranked as practice
Ranked builds mechanics. It does not register a team for The International.
In-game step — not a WinQueue listing
- Need
- Steam / Dota 2
- Do
- Find four teammates who can play cup and qualifier blocks.
- Where
- In-game ranked / party
- Next
- This step is preparation. It does not qualify you on its own.
- 01RankedYour next step
Use ranked as practice
- 02Cups
Play open community cups
- 03TI window
Enter Valve qualifiers only when they reopen
- 04TI
The International
Official path
Current official opportunities
No open TI qualifier indexed
Valve’s TI 2026 open and regional qualifiers are complete. Direct invites and qualifier winners are already set. WinQueue will not list expired OQs as live opportunities. Community FACEIT cups may still appear as other competition.
Dota 2 official newsNext official route
Stack of five → community cups → next Valve-published qualifier
FACEIT Dota 2 championships and other community events are other ways to compete. They are not The International and do not replace Valve qualifiers.
Other ways to compete
View all 53 →Other Dota 2 competitions
Dota 2
Intrepid Series
Prize3,500 FACEIT Points
StartsCloses
RegionEurope
Dota 2
Creeper Series
Prize15,000 FACEIT Points
StartsCloses
RegionEurope
Dota 2
Intrepid Series
Prize3,500 FACEIT Points
StartsCloses
RegionEurope
Dota 2
Intrepid Series
Prize3,500 FACEIT Points
StartsCloses
RegionEurope
Show full guide
Dota 2 competitive route
The International 2026 (quals closed) · Last verified 14 Aug 2026
If you are good at Dota, start with a five and play open community cups while you wait for Valve’s next published qualifier window. The International 2026 open qualifiers (9–12 June) and regional qualifiers (15–28 June) are finished. TI itself is the Shanghai LAN (groups 13–16 August, arena 20–23 August 2026) — spectator, not signup. There is no current open TI qualifier to enter.
Before you start
- Dota 2 is a five-player game. Form a roster before cups or quals.
- Watch dota2.com news for the next qualifier dates. Do not reuse 2026 OQ links.
Other ways to compete
Not part of the official The International ladder — parallel open / third-party competition.
FACEIT and community Dota cups
Other ways to compete. Not The International unless Valve’s rules say so.
Stage-by-stage detail
Official paths and third-party cash competition are not the same thing. Expand a stage for instructions, eligibility and links.
01
Use ranked as practice
Ranked builds mechanics. It does not register a team for The International.
Ranked · informational · prerequisite
Where to play
In-game ranked / party
What you play
Ranked and unranked party play.
Accounts
- Steam / Dota 2
Team
Solo possible
Steps
- Find four teammates who can play cup and qualifier blocks.
02
Play open community cups
While TI qualification is closed, community platforms are the actionable start. FACEIT upcoming Dota 2 championships are indexed as other competition.
Cups · third party · alternate
Where to play
FACEIT and other listed platforms
Where to register
The cup’s registration URL (for example FACEIT)
What you play
Open community championships and cups.
Accounts
- Steam; platform account as required
Team
Team required · 5 players · Confirm live roster/sub rules per cup.
Steps
- Enter upcoming Dota cups on WinQueue / FACEIT.
- Do not treat a FACEIT cup as a TI open qualifier.
Notes
start.gg had 0 upcoming Dota 2 tournaments on 14 Aug 2026; FACEIT game id dota2 had upcoming championships.
Region notes
As the cup lists (often online).
03
Enter Valve qualifiers only when they reopen
TI 2026 Open Qualifiers ran 9–12 June; regionals 15–28 June (Europe merged East/West, four slots). Those windows are closed. The next TI path will be whatever Valve publishes next year.
TI window · official · primary
Where to play
Valve / operator qualifier clients as published
Where to register
Only when dota2.com announces a new window
What you play
Open then regional qualifiers when Valve opens them.
Accounts
- Eligible regional roster
Team
Team required · 5 players
Eligibility
- 2026 invites and remaining regional slots were published on 26 May 2026. That qualifier cycle is over. Official rules
Steps
- Ignore expired June 2026 OQ brackets.
- Use Valve’s next news post as the registration authority.
Region notes
China, SA, SEA, Europe, NA as Valve lists
04
The International
Shanghai 2026: Swiss groups 13–16 August, arena 20–23 August. Sixteen teams via invites plus qualifiers. Not an open LAN signup.
TI · informational · primary
Where to play
The International
Team
Team required · 5 players
Steps
- Watch or follow TI as destination context, not as an Enter-now listing.
Region notes
Global LAN
Platforms & leagues explained
Not every service is somewhere you register and play.
The InternationalOfficial circuit
Valve’s premier Dota 2 championship.
Why it matters: Open quals are the rare official amateur door — only when Valve opens them.
When you need it: When a new qualifier window is published on dota2.com.
Glossary
Open Qualifier
Valve’s open TI entry. For 2026 this was 9–12 June. It is not currently enterable.
Regional Qualifier
Closed regional stage after open quals. 2026 ran 15–28 June.
Sources
- TI 2026 invitations and qualifiersofficial
- Dota 2official