The International 2026

Tournament format

• Group Stage (August 13 - 16)
• Swiss-system of sixteen teams
• All matches are Bo3
• Top three teams advance to playoffs
• 4th to 13th place teams proceed to an elimination round
• Remaining teams are eliminated
• Teams are ranked from best to worst based on the following criteria, evaluated in order:
• Number of Matches Won
• Number of Matches Lost
• Total Number of Matches Won by Opponents Played
• Percentage of Games Won
• Average Percentage of Games Won by Opponents Played
• Average Game Duration (Shorter is Better)
• Coin Toss
• Teams are paired using the General Swiss Pairing Rules. Rounds that have modifications to these rules are notated below
• Teams with the same record are paired against each other
• Avoid repeat pairings when possible
• Minimize the distance in ranking between the teams when possible
• Modifications to the General Swiss Pairing Rules by Round:
• Elimination Round
• Five teams advance to playoffs
• Main Event (August 20 - 23)
• Double-elimination bracket
• Grand Final is Bo5, all other matches are Bo3