Image Credit: Dota 2
The International 11 (TI11) is just around the corner. Whether you are an avid fan of esports and Dota 2, or a complete beginner who is only just getting to grips with the game, fear not! We are here to make sure you know everything you need to know leading up to this long-awaited event.
What even is TI?
The International (TI) is the biggest annual Dota 2 championship organised by Valve, with players and talent coming from all over to compete and spectate. Over the years, it has been held all around the globe, from Romania to the United States to China.
This year, Valve has chosen Singapore to be the game’s global arena.
This will be the 11th TI in the 12 years since it was first launched in 2011. The prize pool is currently at a whopping US$12,977,927 (as of 3 October 2022). This is smaller than last year’s $40,018,195 but still ranks as among the most lucrative pots in all of esports.
When is TI11 even happening?
| When | What | Who | |
| Last Chance Qualifiers (LCQ) | 8 – 12 October | Competing to be the 2 victors that qualify for the group stage. | 12 teams |
| Group Stage | 15 – 18 October | Split into 2 groups; Top 4 teams of each group enter the upper bracket for Main Event; Next 4 teams enter the lower bracket; Bottom 2 teams in each group are eliminated. | 20 qualified teams |
| Main Event (Playoffs) | 20 – 23 October | Competing to earn a place in the Finals; 12 teams eliminated | 16 qualified teams |
| Main Event (Finals) | 29 – 30 October | Competing for the coveted trophy. | Top 4 teams |
Where is TI11 even happening?
The LCQ and Group Stage will be held with remote casters and hosts, where casters will be broadcasting from their homes while hosts will supposedly be in a remote location somewhere in Norway. However, the Playoffs will take place at Suntec Singapore Convention and Exhibition Centre, which has a capacity of 6,850 seats. Its nearest Mass Rapid Transit (MRT) stations are Esplanade on the Circle Line, as well as Promenade on both the Circle and Downtown Lines.
The Finals will be held at Singapore Indoor Stadium, which has a capacity of 12,000 seats. The nearest MRT station is Stadium on the Circle Line.
The tickets to the Playoffs were sold at S$88 per day, while tickets for the Finals were sold at S$498 for both days. All tickets have been sold out.
How can I even watch TI11?
If you did not manage to get tickets, fret not. The matches will be streamed live on Twitch through the dota2ti channel. Matches will also be streamed live on Steam TV and available to watch on DotaTV, an in-game feature under the Watch tab. Of course, if you are unable to watch the matches live, you can catch up on the dota2 YouTube channel.
Who is competing in TI11?
With the way TI11 is structured, there will be 20 teams competing in the Group Stage. However, as of now, only 18 of them are confirmed. They are the 12 invited teams and the six qualified teams.
The teams were invited based on their performance at the Dota Pro Circuit over the season. They are:
- PSG.LGD
- OG
- Team Spirit
- beastcoast
- Team Aster
- Thunder Awaken
- BOOM Esports
- TSM FTX
- Tundra Esports
- Gaimin Gladiators
- Evil Geniuses
- Fnatic
The qualified teams are the winners of each Regional Qualifier. They are:
- BetBoom Team (Eastern Europe)
- Entity(Western Europe)
- Hokori (South America)
- Royal Never Give Up (China)
- Soniqs (North America)
- Talon Esports (Southeast Asia)
The last 2 teams will be decided during the LCQ. Those competing ended the Regional Qualifiers as runner-ups. They are:
- Infamous (South America)
- Natus Vincere (Eastern Europe)
- nouns (North America)
- Polaris Esports (Southeast Asia)
- T1 (Southeast Asia)
- Team Liquid (Western Europe)
- Team Secret (Western Europe)
- Tempest (South America)
- Vici Gaming (China)
- Virtus.pro (Eastern Europe)
- Wildcard Gaming (North America)
- Xtreme Gaming (China)
TLDR; buckle up, it’s going to get crazy. Grab your popcorn, sit back and get ready to be blown away by the action.
