The International 2023

Team Qualification

A total of 20 elite teams secured their spots through two pathways:

• Dota Pro Circuit (DPC): 12 teams qualified directly via cumulative seasonal points.

• Regional Qualifiers: 8 teams fought their way through regional brackets:

  • Western Europe & South America: 2 teams each.

  • North America, Eastern Europe, China, & Southeast Asia: 1 team each.

1. Group Stage (October 12th – 15th, 2023)

Phase One (The Groups)

• Format: 20 teams divided into 4 groups of 5.

• Match Style: Single Round-Robin, All series are Best-of-2 (Bo2).

• Elimination: The bottom team from each group (4 teams total) is immediately eliminated.

Phase Two (Seeding Deciders)

• Format: The remaining 16 teams face off in 8 head-to-head Best-of-3 (Bo3) matches.

• Matchmaking: The top 2 teams from each group are paired against the 3rd or 4th place finishers from opposite groups (Groups A vs B, and Groups C vs D).

• The Stakes: The winners secure a spot in the Upper Bracket of the Main Event, while the losers are placed in the Lower Bracket.

2. Main Event (October 20th – 29th, 2023)

The tournament's final stage was split into two high-stakes phases: Playoffs Weekend (October 20–22) and Finals Weekend (October 27–29).

• Bracket Style: 16 teams competing in a brutal Double-Elimination bracket.

  • 8 teams start in the Upper Bracket (with a safety net).

  • 8 teams start in the Lower Bracket (facing immediate elimination upon loss).

• Series Length: All tournament series are Best-of-3 (Bo3).

• Grand Final: A grueling Best-of-5 (Bo5) showdown to crown the World Champion.