Valve has shared the details of the upcoming The International 2023 MOBA DOTA 2 tournament. 20 teams will take part in this esports event, 12 of which have already been determined. Matches will be divided into three stages:
- group stage – from 12 to 15 October 2023
- playoffs – from 20 to 22 October 2023
- final – from 27 to 29 October 2023.
The group stage has been completely overhauled. To increase the value of each match, instead of two groups of ten teams, there will now be four groups of five, and the stage itself will be held in two stages. The teams compete for two days, after which the weakest from each group is eliminated – as a result, each team will play only four matches instead of the previous nine. Matches in the second stage will determine the position of the remaining 16 teams in the playoff bracket.
During the playoffs, the eight strongest teams will compete for four places in the upper bracket of The International, and then there will be knockout matches, where the four participants in the lower bracket will be determined. Unlike previous years, all matches are played up to two victories.
At the final stage of The International, eight teams that have passed the playoffs will battle it out at the Climate Pledge Arena for the title of the best in the world. In the first two days, four matches up to two wins will be held, and on the last day the top three will be determined: first in the final of the lower bracket, and then in the grand final up to three wins.
