The International 2026 is in full swing, and the tournament has already delivered its share of surprises. Sixteen teams landed in Copenhagen for the Aug 12-23 showdown, but only eight remain as the playoffs begin. The Swiss stage and elimination round produced a mix of expected contenders and unlikely survivors, setting up a bracket that could go anywhere.
This page is your one-stop guide to TI 2026: the full playoff bracket with times, every surviving roster, the teams that have already packed their bags, and the patch 7.41 meta that is shaping how Dota 2 is played at the highest level. We will update this page automatically as the event progresses, so check back for live results.
TI 2026 at a Glance
The tournament kicked off on Aug 12 with a Swiss-style group stage. After four days of grueling matches, the field was cut from 16 to 8. The elimination round on Aug 16 decided the final playoff spots. Here is the essential info:
| Detail | Info |
|---|---|
| Dates | Aug 12-23 |
| Stage Format | Swiss Group Stage -> Elimination Round -> Double-Elimination Playoffs |
| Playoff Prize Pool | $3,061,178 |
| Teams Started | 16 |
| Teams Remaining | 8 |
| Grand Final Date | Aug 23 |
TI 2026 Playoff Bracket and Schedule
The playoffs begin on Aug 20 with four best-of-three series in the upper bracket. The winners advance, the losers drop to the lower bracket for a second chance. The action starts early in Copenhagen, so set your alarms.
| Time (CEST) | Series | Format |
|---|---|---|
| 05:00 | Iron Wing vs Team Spirit | BO3 |
| 08:00 | TEAM VISION vs BoomBoys | BO3 |
| 11:00 | Team Liquid vs Team Yandex | BO3 |
| 14:00 | Nigma Galaxy vs Team Falcons | BO3 |
The grand final is scheduled for Aug 23. With the double-elimination format, the lower bracket final will determine the second finalist. Expect a long day of Dota with the Aegis on the line.
The Eight Playoff Teams and Rosters
Here are the eight teams still in contention, with their full active rosters. Every player knows what is at stake, and a single series can change their careers.
| Team | Roster |
|---|---|
| Iron Wing | 33, Whitemon, bzm, Pure, Ari |
| TEAM VISION | No[o]ne, Dukalis, Noticed, 9Class, Satanic |
| Nigma Galaxy | GH, SumaiL, lorenof, Davai Lama, OmaR |
| Team Yandex | Saksa, DM, watson, Malady, Chira JUNIOR |
| Team Falcons | Cr1t-, Sneyking, skiter, Malr1ne, ATF |
| BoomBoys | gpk, Save-, Kataomi`, MieRo, Kiritych~ |
| Team Spirit | Collapse, Larl, Yatoro, rue, not me |
| Team Liquid | Ace, Nisha, miCKe, Boxi, tOfu |
Team Falcons: Rolling Through the Competition
No team enters the playoffs with more momentum than Team Falcons. They strung together three straight series wins in the group stage, capped by a 2-1 comeback against BoomBoys. That kind of resilience, especially after dropping the opening map, shows a squad that does not crack under pressure. Their core of skiter and Malr1ne has looked in sync, and if they keep that rhythm, they will be a nightmare for anyone in the upper bracket.
Iron Wing: The Underdog Nobody Wants to Face
Iron Wing was not on many prediction lists when the tournament started, but they have earned their playoff spot with grit. They swept GamerLegion 2-0 on elimination day, a clean performance that left no doubt. Led by veteran offlaner 33 and the mid duo of bzm, they play an aggressive style that can catch better-known teams off guard. They are not just happy to be here; they look like they belong.
Team Spirit: Surviving a Shaky Start
Team Spirit have been anything but dominant. They lost 0-2 to Nigma Galaxy in the group stage and needed a 2-1 victory over Team Resilience on elimination day to stay alive. Yatoro and Collapse have not hit their usual peak yet, but this is a team known for peaking at the right time. The question is whether they can flip the switch against Iron Wing in the opening playoff series. They have the talent, but they are running out of chances to show it.
Who Is Already Out
Eight teams have already been eliminated, and some of them were supposed to be contenders. LGD Gaming fell in a heartbreaker to Team Yandex, with the deciding map stretching past the hour mark. GamerLegion, Team Resilience, and OG are also gone, along with HULIGANI, Aurora, Xtreme Gaming, and Vici Gaming. Here are their full rosters for the record:
| Team | Roster |
|---|---|
| LGD Gaming | Thiolicor, TOPSON, Wisper, KJ, Yuma |
| GamerLegion | Bignum, Speeed, Ghost, Fayde, RCY |
| Team Resilience | Erika, planet, Echozz, niu, zzq |
| HULIGANI | sayuw, Mirage`, Vazya, RESPECT, ssnovv1 |
| Aurora | Mikoto, Nightfall, Mira, kaori, Ws |
| Xtreme Gaming | Xxs, fy, xNova, Ame, NothingToSay |
| Vici Gaming | XinQ, Bach, y`, Xm, shiro |
| OG | Tims, Raven, Skem, Yopaj-, Natsumi- |
The Meta Behind the Matches
Patch 7.41 has defined TI 2026, and no hero has been more influential than Treant Protector. The tree has been banned in roughly nine out of every ten professional drafts, a ban rate that borders on absurd. Teams simply do not want to deal with his vision control and global presence, so he rarely sees the light of day. When he does slip through, he changes the entire dynamic of the draft.
In high-rank pubs, the trends are clear: Spectre sits at a 53.5% win rate, Lifestealer is close behind at 53.2%, and Pudge is the most-picked hero at 27.4%. The meta is favoring late-game carries, and matches are trending longer as a result. Teams are banking on the late game, which makes every early mistake more punishing. Expect lower-bracket runs to be grueling, and do not be surprised if several series go the distance.
How to Follow TI 2026
You do not need to refresh this page every five minutes. The VPEsports homepage updates automatically with live scores, schedule changes, and results as they happen. The grand final is set for Aug 23, and we will have full coverage from the moment the first pick is made to the final ancient fall. Whether you are following the bracket, checking rosters, or just want to know who is still alive, keep it locked here.
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