The International 2026 Ticket Sales: Dates, Prices and How to Buy

Valve has published the ticket details for The International 2026, bringing Dota 2's world championship arena event back to Shanghai. The ticketed main event will run from August 20 to 23, 2026, at the SPD Bank Oriental Sports Center.

Ticket sales opened on June 10 through separate platforms for buyers inside and outside China. Valve also introduced assigned seating, identity-linked tickets and a limit of two tickets per tournament day for each ticketing account.

The arena tickets cover August 20–23. The earlier Road to The International phase is scheduled for August 13–16 and is separate from the four ticketed arena days described in Valve's sales announcement.

The International 2026 arena main event is scheduled for August 20, 21, 22 and 23 at the SPD Bank Oriental Sports Center in Shanghai. These are the days covered by the single-day tickets and two-day bundles announced by Valve.

The broader tournament begins earlier. The Road to The International is scheduled for August 13–16, when the field is reduced before the final eight teams reach the arena stage. Fans planning a trip should not assume that one arena ticket grants access to any earlier phase.

Shanghai previously hosted The International in 2019. The 2026 return makes the venue and ticket process especially important for international fans, because entry is tied to the attendee identity entered during checkout.

Valve scheduled ticket sales for June 10, 2026, using China Standard Time, which is UTC+8.

China domestic sales began at 2:00 p.m. The first 20 minutes were reserved as a priority purchase window for active Dota players in China who had played at least 10 games during the previous six months. General domestic purchasing opened after the priority period according to the authorized platform schedule.

International sales began at 2:30 p.m. China Standard Time through Trip.com. For readers in the Philippines, China Standard Time and Philippine Standard Time are both UTC+8, so the listed international launch time was also 2:30 p.m. in the Philippines.

That sale time has now passed. Do not interpret the original announcement as proof that inventory remains available.

Because the initial allocation was reported sold out, these steps are now primarily a safe way to check official availability and avoid false resale listings.

1. Open Valve's official ticket announcement. Start with the Dota 2 news post and follow only the international seller identified there.
2. Use the authorized international route. Valve named Trip.com for buyers outside China. Confirm that the domain and event listing are genuine before entering personal information.
3. Sign in and prepare valid passport details. An international purchase requires a Trip.com account and a valid passport. The attendee name must match the passport used at entry.
4. Check live availability before planning travel. If no official inventory appears, stop. Do not assume a private listing can be transferred to you.
5. Review the day, bundle and seating tier. Confirm the event date, ticket type, assigned region, displayed price, fees and currency before payment.
6. Enter every attendee name accurately. Tickets are tied to the names used during purchase and cannot be transferred, gifted or resold.
7. Save the official confirmation. Keep the order number and seller confirmation private. Wait for confirmed admission before committing to non-refundable travel.

Valve provided a separate domestic route through Damai and the Perfect World app. A Chinese ID was required to complete a domestic purchase.

The first 20 minutes after the 2:00 p.m. launch were a priority window for active Dota players in China. Valve defined eligibility around at least 10 games played during the previous six months. The wider domestic sale followed through the authorized platforms.

International visitors should not attempt to use the domestic route without the required Chinese identification. They should use only the international seller identified by Valve.

Valve announced four seating tiers for The International 2026, from Tier A through Tier D. The tables below show the published USD prices for every announced ticket option, together with Philippine Peso estimates for Filipino attendees. The PHP figures are reference conversions and may not match the final amount charged by the authorized ticket seller, payment processor or card provider.

Philippine Peso (PHP) amounts were converted using an exchange rate of 1 USD = ₱61.73, as of July 21, 2026. Actual prices in PHP may vary depending on the exchange rate, payment processor, bank fees and the final amount charged at the time of purchase.

All The International 2026 arena tickets use assigned and reserved seating. There is no general-admission option. After purchase, the buyer receives a specific seat within the selected region.

Each ticketing account is limited to two tickets per tournament day. A buyer attending multiple days may need more than one transaction, and a larger group cannot exceed the platform's per-account limit for a given day.

The most important restriction is identity. Tickets can be used only by the named attendees for whom they were purchased. Valve states that they cannot be transferred, gifted or resold. An international attendee's ticket name should match the valid passport presented for entry.

This makes unofficial resale especially risky. A screenshot, forwarded confirmation or seller promise does not change the name attached to a ticket.

Independent esports reports and fan accounts said the initial official allocations sold out within minutes of the June 10 opening. That is a reported market status, not a Valve guarantee that every possible ticket has permanently disappeared.

At the same time, Valve has not promised another release in the cited ticket announcement. The safest wording is therefore simple: the initial allocation was reported sold out, and current availability must be checked on the authorized seller linked by Valve.

Do not pay a private seller based on a claim that a named ticket can be reassigned later. Unless Valve or the official ticketing platform publishes a valid transfer, return or additional-sale process, treat the original non-transferability rule as controlling.

Filipino fans use the same international purchase route and the same UTC+8 sale time announced for overseas buyers. Before making any future official purchase or arranging travel:

• make sure the passport name matches the attendee details exactly;
• confirm the ticket inside the authorized seller account, not from a screenshot;
• check current Chinese entry and visa requirements through official government sources;
• review the final checkout currency, fees and card-provider charges;
• keep account and passport information private;
• wait for a valid ticket confirmation before paying for non-refundable flights or accommodation; and
• verify the arena date printed on the ticket, especially when choosing between a single day and a two-day bundle.

This article is not immigration, legal or travel advice. Entry requirements can depend on nationality and personal circumstances.

A sold-out arena does not prevent fans from following the tournament online. Valve traditionally publishes official broadcast details closer to The International, including supported channels and language options.

Use the official Dota 2 website and verified Dota 2 channels for the final broadcast schedule. Do not embed or link to an unofficial restream in this article. Update this section when Valve releases the 2026 viewing information, and record the new dateModified timestamp.

This article prioritizes Valve's original announcement. Ticket availability, entry requirements and broadcast information can change, so update only from an official source or clearly label independent reporting.

• Valve: The International 2026 Ticket Sales
• Steam News mirror: The International 2026 Ticket Sales
• Trip.com: The International 2026 Shanghai ticket information
• GosuGamers: Ticket schedule, price tiers and purchase paths
• Escorenews: Reported initial sellout on June 10