The Dota 2 International 2023 is fast approaching and it’s bringing the esports community tons of intense matches against the top teams in the world as they fight for a massive prize pool. Here is all you need to know about The International this year, including teams to watch.
The International 2023 is the biggest Dota 2 tournament of the year. It will be returning to Seattle in October and it’s aiming for the largest audience in the history of The International 2023.
The International 2023 Dates and Schedule
The schedule this year is different from previous years, with a game scheduled Friday through Sunday over three different weekends. Here’s how it will shape up:
- Group Stage – October 12-15
- Playoffs – October 20-22
- The Finals – October 27-29
The Road to the International will include the Group Stage and Playoffs. There will be 20 top teams competing against each other until only eight remain. Those top teams will then enter The International itself, fighting for the Aegis of Champions.
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The Group Stage will now have four groups of five competing, with the bottom team in each group getting eliminated. The Group Stage will then have head-to-head matches between the remaining 16 teams which will decide who enters the Playoffs in the Upper Bracket.
The Playoffs, which will be live at the Seattle Convention Center’s Summit, will have the top eight teams competing for four Upper Bracket slots of The International. Saturday and Sunday will be a series of elimination matches, with the four survivors going to the Lower Bracket.
Then, The International will take place at the Climate Pledge Arena, featuring the eight best teams in the world. There will be four best-of-three matches on Friday and Saturday. Sunday will be a battle between the top three teams, concluding with a best-of-five Grand Final.
The International 2023 Prize Pool
According to the Prize Pool Tracker, the total prize pool is currently $2,776,155. This includes a base prize pool of $1.6 million and $1,176,155 in contributed cash.
The Top Teams to Watch at The International 2023
The Dota 2 Pro Circuit rankings show who the dominant teams have been throughout the season, taking performance, wins, and standings into account. We also have some stats of our own that further support which teams stand above the rest going into The International 2023.
Team Liquid – 2150 DPC Pts
Throughout the year, Team Liquid has won 151 of its 233 matches, giving them a 65% win rate, according to Abios’ data. Team Liquid finished second in three Majors and now they are looking for a win at the biggest stage in the world.
| Team Liquid | Stats |
| Win Rate (%) | 65% |
| First Blood Rate (%) | 56% |
| Gold per minute (AVG) | 2470 |
| Roshan Kills (AVG) | 1.16 |
| Kills (AVG) | 27.7 |
| Deaths (AVG) | 22.4 |
| Assists (AVG) | 65.2 |
| Sentries Placed (AVG) | 29.7 |
Gaimin Gladiators – 2140 DPC Pts
Everyone’s been talking about the Gaimin Gladiators and it’s easy to see why. They won all three Majors — Lima in March, Berlin in May, and Bali in July — as well as other big tournaments against top teams. We have them at a 66% win rate, quite impressive for the intensity of the EU scene.
| Gaimin Gladiators | Stats |
| Win Rate (%) | 66% |
| First Blood Rate (%) | 49% |
| Gold per minute (AVG) | 2518 |
| Roshan Kills (AVG) | 1.10 |
| Kills (AVG) | 24.0 |
| Deaths (AVG) | 21.2 |
| Assists (AVG) | 57.7 |
| Sentries Placed (AVG) | 29.1 |
Tundra Esports – 1660 DPC Pts
Tundra Esports has proven to be a strong contender going into The International. They are looking to become the second back-to-back TI winners in history. Tundra’s fight through the WEU resulted in a strong 58% win rate, according to our data. With Topias “Topson” Taavitsainen on the squad, Tundra is coming into TI looking scary.
| Tundra Esports | Stats |
| Win Rate (%) | 58% |
| First Blood Rate (%) | 48% |
| Gold per minute (AVG) | 2514 |
| Roshan Kills (AVG) | 1.25 |
| Kills (AVG) | 25.0 |
| Deaths (AVG) | 24.7 |
| Assists (AVG) | 60.2 |
| Sentries Placed (AVG) | 31.4 |
9Pandas – 1496 DPC Pts
Going into The International, 9Pandas could be seen as an underdog pick compared to Team Liquid and the like. But with a 54% win rate, this squad is nothing to play with. The relatively new team may not have a lot of experience at this massive event, but 9Pandas is living up to its name — it’s hungry for the title.
| Tundra Esports | Stats |
| Win Rate (%) | 54% |
| First Blood Rate (%) | 54% |
| Gold per minute (AVG) | 2558 |
| Roshan Kills (AVG) | 1 |
| Kills (AVG) | 25.1 |
| Deaths (AVG) | 25.3 |
| Assists (AVG) | 57.9 |
| Sentries Placed (AVG) | 26.0 |
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