The most awaited Dota 2 event of the year, The International 2024, is just around the corner. After months of intense qualifiers and some controversies, the 16 best teams from around the world will gather in Denmark to compete for the ultimate prize: The Aegis of Champions.
This year’s tournament promises thrilling matches and unforgettable moments as teams battle for Dota 2’s most prestigious title.
In this article, we’ll break down everything you need to know to enjoy The International 2024 to its fullest.
Tournament Format
The format for The International 2024 is similar to the previous year, with one key change: no teams will be eliminated during the Group Stage. This year, the competition features 16 teams instead of 20, making the matches even more critical.
The 16 teams are split into four groups of four, and they will compete in Best-of-2 series. After all the group matches, the top team from each group will choose between the 3rd or 4th team from the neighboring group for the next round.
These matchups will determine the teams advancing to the Decider stage, where Best-of-3 matches will decide which teams move to the Upper Bracket and which go to the Lower Bracket for the Playoffs.
Source: Valve
During the Playoffs, the format shifts to Best-of-3 matches in a double elimination system, culminating in a Best-of-5 Grand Final to crown the champion.
Key Dates:
- Group Stage: September 4-5
- Decider Stage: September 6-7
- Playoffs: September 8-10
- Final Stage: September 13-15
The Group of Death
While all the groups are competitive, the Group A is seen by many as the toughest group. This group includes Gladiators, the fan-favorite team expected to win it all, as well as Xtreme Gaming, currently the top Chinese team. Adding to the excitement is 1Win, a surprise finalist from the Elite League Season 2.
Top Contenders for The International 2024 Title
There is a general consensus that The International 2024 will be won by one of the six directly invited teams: Falcons, Xtreme Gaming, BetBoom, Team Spirit, Team Liquid, or Gladiators. Among these six, the strongest candidates are:
Falcons
Considered the best team of 2024, Falcons have dominated most of the tournaments this year, even though they narrowly missed out on winning the Riyadh Masters.
Xtreme Gaming
The only team to defeat Falcons in a Grand Final this year, Xtreme Gaming represents China’s best chance to claim The International title.
Team Spirit
Although they’ve only won the PGL Wallachia #1, Team Spirit is still considered a top contender due to their track record in major tournaments and the fact that they are defending champions of The International.
Gladiators
Despite a rough year, Gladiators’ victory at the Riyadh Masters 2024 has made them a strong candidate to take home the championship.
Where to Watch The International 2024
You can watch The International 2024 in four official languages: English, Russian, Chinese, and Spanish. The matches will be streamed live on the official Dota 2 Twitch and YouTube channels.
Schedule of The International 2024
Matches will kick off at 10:00 AM CEST each day, starting with three simultaneous matches during the Group Stage. As each game concludes, new matches will follow until all the day’s matches are complete.
Source: Valve
Prize Pool for The International 2024
As of this writing, the prize pool for The International 2024 stands at $2,387,044, with $1.6 million coming directly from Valve and the rest contributed by the Dota 2 community. This makes it the smallest prize pool since The Compendium or Battle Pass systems were introduced to crowdsource prize money.
Source: PrizePool Tracker