The International 2025 (TI14): Swiss Format and Schedule revealed

Valve has announced that The International 2025 (TI14) will introduce the Swiss format, shaking up the traditional tournament structure and guaranteeing high-stakes clashes from the very beginning, making every game count.

Additionally, the schedule and ticket information for the Dota 2 esports tournament to be held at the Barclays Arena in Hamburg, Germany, have also been released.

The International 2025 (TI14) Format

The International 2025 (TI14) will consist of a Swiss format, pivoting away from the traditional format held over a decade.

The Road to The International 2025 begins with a five-round Swiss bracket. 16 Dota 2 teams will compete in best-of-three matches over three days, matched against opponents with identical records. Four wins secure a spot at The International, while four losses result in elimination.

For example, a 2:0 team will face another 2:0 team, a 1:3 team will face another 1:3 team, etc.

Following the five-round Swiss brackets, three teams with four wins advance to The International 2025, and three teams with four losses are eliminated. The remaining ten teams compete in a special elimination round (top seed vs. bottom seed), with five advancing to TI14 and five eliminated.

September 4th to 7th, 2025, are the dates for The Road to The International, including both the Swiss rounds and the special elimination rounds. During this time, sixteen teams will battle, with eight advancing to The International and eight being eliminated.

The International 2025 Schedule

Here’s the detailed schedule for The International 2025:

• The Road to The International (September 4 to 7, 2025)
• The International Main Event (September 11 to 14, 2025)

The eight teams that advance to the main event will compete for the Aegis of the Immortal in Barclays Arena, Hamburg, in front of a live audience. All eight teams start in the upper bracket following a standard double-elimination format.

All games are best-of-three, except the Grand Finals, which are best-of-five.

Tickets Information

Tickets for The International 2025 (TI14) go on sale on AXS on April 15, 2025, at 10 am CEST. Single-day and multi-day bundle tickets will be available for purchase.

Stay tuned to BLAST for the latest updates on The International and more Dota 2 news.