Valve has confirmed that Shanghai, China, will host The International 2026, the company’s flagship Dota 2 tournament. The announcement was made by Valve President Gabe Newell during the Grand Finals of The International 14 in Hamburg, Germany.

“Hi, it’s Gabe again. First off I want to thank everyone in Germany for helping us make The International such a success. I have a quick announcement to make before we crown a new champion. We’ll share a love of the game with an international community and I’m excited to announce the next year’s International will also be returning to a previous location. I hope to see you there,” Newell said in a video.

Shanghai previously hosted The International in 2019.

China has long been considered one of the central hubs for esports, with a large and active player base and numerous events across multiple competitive titles. Initiatives such as IEM Chengdu have reinforced the country’s status as a key location in the global esports ecosystem.

Shanghai is set to host part of the 2025 League of Legends World Championship, while Beijing and Chengdu will host other stages of the tournament. The city will also host the VALORANT Champions 2026, organised by Riot Games.