The flagship event of the professional Dota 2 scene, The International, always attracts fans from all over the world. Even though the tournament is almost a year away, Valve has officially announced the time and location for The International 2025.

Official announcement

Last night, an announcement appeared on the official Dota 2 website. Valve revealed that the 2025 tournament will return to its origins and announced both the time and location.

Tournament details

The upcoming tournament will take place in Germany in mid-September, similar to the 2024 event. Although specific dates have not been fully confirmed, some details about the playoffs matches have been announced:

•When: Playoffs from September 11 to September 15

•Location: Barclays Arena, Hamburg, Germany

•Number of participating teams: 16 teams

The organizers emphasized the significance of The International returning to Germany, where it all began. The first time The International was held in 2011 in Cologne, at the Koelnmesse Arena, where Ukraine's Natus Vincere team won, winning the title of strongest team and a reward of 1,000,000 USD.

During the next 13 years, The International was held in many cities around the world, but never returned to Germany. This makes the upcoming event especially meaningful for longtime fans who have followed the tournament for the past 14 years.