The International 10 – Everything You Should Know
Due to the COVID-19 pandemic, 2020 was the first year DOTA 2’s most prestigious event, The International, failed to take place since its inception in 2011. However, that is no longer the case as The International 10 is finally set to take place. Participating teams are geared up and fully prepared to compete against each other for DOTA 2’s biggest prize pool and grandest tournament. There is so much to look forward to and be excited about. Ensure you are not left out of the fun by finding out all you need to know about the tournament. This article contains the latest update about the event, participating teams, scheduled dates, and much more.
When Will The International 10 Begin?
The International 10 will start on October 7, 2023, and end on October 17, 2023. The tournament begins with the Group Stage, takes place from October 7 to October 10. After the Group Stage is complete, the Main Stage will start on October 12 and run through October 17.
The International 10 was initially slated for August 5-August 15, with the Group Stage holding from August 5 to August 8, while the Main Stage would have held from August 10 to August 15. However, those plans were changed on June 21, when Valve announced that Sweden was unwilling to accept esports into its sports federation. Due to Sweden’s reluctance, Valve needed the country’s Ministry of Interior to classify The International 10 as an elite sporting event. However, their request fell on deaf ears, with the Swedish government failing to accord the tournament such a status. Furthermore, the government’s reluctance meant that players and officials needing travel visas to get into Sweden for The International 10 would be denied.
Valve sought a means to resolve the debacle. This meant they had to look for possible alternatives in the form of another European country that would accept to host The International 10. Finally, and after much deliberations, Valve found another European nation to host its prestigious tournament.
Where Will The International 10 Hold?
Since 2019, the Swedish capital, Stockholm, has been scheduled to host The International. Even after the tournament was postponed last year, the city was still expected to host it in 2023. However, that arrangement was thrown into jeopardy following the Swedish government’s refusal to grant Valve’s request. Due to these issues, Valve sought an alternative, resulting in The International 10 being slated to take place in Bucharest, Romania. The Arena Nationala in Bucharest will play host to the teams from around the world who will compete against each other for the grand prize.
How Can I Get Tickets for The International 10?
Valve delayed the announcement of The International 10 ticket sales for many months, which was not due to its fault as it had to sort out many logistic problems. However, on September 3, it announced that tickets for the tournament would go on sale from September 22. This means that fans had only two weeks to get their tickets ready before the tournament’s commencement.
With the tickets, you can watch the main event at the National Arena in Bucharest, which starts on October 12 and runs through October 17. The tickets come in three bundles. These are:
- For the 12th-13th
- For the 14th-15th, and
- For the 16th-17th
The tickets for the midweek matches cost about $60, while that for the final cost about $240. Besides the tickets, Valve put up preventive measures amid the COVID-19 pandemic. All persons attending The International 10 must adhere to these measures. They must be vaccinated and also wear their face masks. There will be more protocols at the venue, so you must ensure you abide by these rules and regulations if you want to buy a ticket and attend the tournament.
However, latest reports have revealed the DOTA 2 International 10 will no longer have a live audience. The news emerged a week after Valve opened ticket sales. The cancellation of a live audience came after an increase in the number of COVID-19 cases in the host country, Romania.
The development, if unchanged, will be bad news for fans who have already purchased tickets and traveled down to Romania for the event. Valve has committed to refunding the already-bought tickets. Still, those who are already made their way down to the European nation will have to find other things to do since they won’t be allowed into the tournament as part of the audience. The cancelation of a live audience does nothing to hamper the event, which will still hold on its scheduled date.
What’s the Final Prize Pool at The International 10?
It is a well-known fact that The International has the largest prize pool in DOTA 2 tournaments, and that has not changed with this year’s edition. The International 10 has a total prize pool of $40,018,195 up for grabs for the participants. The tournament’s winner is estimated to walk home with about $18 million. Valve funded part of the prize pool for The International 10, while most of it came from Battle Pass sales last year. Here is a table showing the prize allocation:
Who Has Qualified for The International 10?
Twelve teams qualified for The International 10 after accumulating Dota Pro Circuit (DPC) points during the regular season. Joining these 12 qualified teams are six winners from the DPC regional qualifiers. Hence, 18 teams will participate in the event when it kicks off.
The teams that qualified for The International 10 via DPC points accumulation are:
- Evil Geniuses
- Virtus.pro
- PSG.LGD
- Quincy Crew
- Invictus Gaming
- T1
- Team Secret
- Vici Gaming
- Team Aster
- Alliance
- Beatcoast
- Thunder Predator
The six teams that qualified for The International 10 after winning the regional qualifiers are:
- Team Spirit
- SG e-sports
- Undying
- Fnatic
- OG
- Elephant
Team Spirit qualified after winning the Eastern Europe Qualifiers, while SG e-sports qualified after winning the South American Qualifiers. Undying won the North American qualifiers while Fnatic conquered all to emerge the champions of the Southeast Asia qualifiers. OG and Elephant won the Western Europe and China Qualifiers, respectively.
Based on DPC regions representation, here are the teams from the six DPC regions:
| DPC Region | Teams |
| China | Elephant, Invictus Gaming, PSG.LGD, Team Aster, Vici Gaming |
| North America | Evil Geniuses, Quincy Crew, Undying |
| South America | beastcoast, SG e-sports, Thunder Predator |
| Western Europe | Alliance, OG, Team Secret |
| Eastern Europe | Team Spirit, Virtus.pro |
| Southeast Asia | Fnatic, T1 |
The International 10 Group Stages
The International 10 comprises two Groups, A and B. Each group consists of nine teams. The teams for each group are yet to be decided. The teams in each group will compete against each other in a best-of-two round-robin format. At the end of the group matches, the top four teams in each group will advance to the main event’s upper bracket. Meanwhile, the bottom four teams will advance to the lower bracket. The last-placed teams in each group will be eliminated.
The International 10 Main Event
The main event comprises the upper bracket and the lower bracket. The top four teams from Group A and Group B will slug it out in the upper bracket, while the bottom four teams from the groups will battle in the lower bracket. The main event will be a double-elimination tournament. The first round of the lower bracket will be in a best-of-one format, while subsequent matches will be in a best-of-three format. Meanwhile, the grand finale, which will be between the winners of the upper and lower brackets, will be played in a best-of-five format.
Conclusion
So far, these are the confirmed details about the upcoming International 10, which promises to be a fun event. Of course, the fans will be missed at the event, but they will be cheering from home as they watch their favorite teams slug it out for honors. The International is always a fun and dramatic tournament, and its tenth edition won’t be different. The 18 participating teams are raring to go and will thrill will their talent and passion. The countdown has truly begun, and in a few weeks, the world will know who will be crowned champion.
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- October 5, 2021 / Updated: 07 Oct 2021