The International 2025 Shakes Things Up With New Swiss Stage Format

Valve has announced a major format change for The International 2025, Dota 2’s biggest annual tournament. This year’s event, set for Barclays Arena in Hamburg, will feature a five-round Swiss Stage, replacing the usual group stage format.

From September 4 to 7, 16 teams will face off in best-of-three matches against others with the same win-loss record. Teams that hit four wins move on to the playoffs, while those with four losses are eliminated. The remaining 10 teams will enter a final elimination round to decide the last five playoff spots.

Only eight teams will reach the playoff stage, which runs from September 11 to 14 in a double-elimination bracket. Matches will remain best-of-three, except for the grand final, which will be best-of-five.

Valve explained the change aims to make every match matter, adding structure without overloading teams or fans with unpredictable schedules.