Eight teams battle through double elimination for two spots at Dota 2's biggest tournament in Shanghai this August
The International 2026 China Regional Qualifier wrapped up its third day of competition on June 17, leaving just one final day of matches to determine which two teams will represent the region at Dota 2’s premier world championship. The qualifier, running June 15-18 in a double-elimination format, has eight teams fighting for two coveted main event slots.
Those remaining matches on June 18 include both the upper bracket final and lower bracket final.
What’s on the line in Shanghai
TI2026 is scheduled for August 20-23 at the Oriental Sports Center in Shanghai, China. The main event carries a $1.6 million prize pool.
PGL is handling the organizational duties for the qualifier stage.
The field and format
Eight teams entered the China qualifier with dreams of making the main stage. Among the competitors, direct invites went to Vici Gaming, Team Resilience, and Roar Gaming, three organizations that earned their spots through prior competitive performance.
By the end of Day 3, lower bracket matches were still ongoing, meaning some teams were fighting for survival while upper bracket contenders had already secured at least one more chance to qualify.
Day 4 on June 18 will settle everything. The upper bracket final determines who claims the first qualifying spot, while the lower bracket final is a do-or-die affair for the second and final slot.
What to watch on Day 4
With only two slots available for eight competing teams, six organizations will walk away empty-handed.
