The International 2026: the eight remaining teams, and why you'll need to wake up at 4 a.m. from August 20 to 23

The group stage of The International 2026 is over. Of the sixteen teams that arrived in Shanghai on August 13, eight have been eliminated and eight remain in contention. Valve published the list on August 19, just hours before the main event kicks off.

Here's who's left, when it's happening, and — the point English-language schedules always forget — what time you'll need to wake up in France.

The eight teams qualified for the main event

Valve lists them in this order:

• Team Vision
• Team Liquid
• Nigma Galaxy
• Team Falcons
• BoomBoys
• Team Spirit
• Iron Wing
• Team Yandex

A methodological caveat is in order: Valve did not publish the bracket order in this announcement. The order above is that of the official statement, not a ranking, not an upper- or lower-bracket placement. Any bracket graphic circulating today based on this list alone is extrapolating. The full match schedule is published separately, on the event's website.

What the announcement does establish, however, is the format: a double-elimination bracket, which will "crown the champion team" of the 2026 edition and award it the Aegis of Champions.

The schedule: Thursday, August 20 through Sunday, August 23

The main event is held at the Shanghai SPD Bank Oriental Sports Center. It starts on Thursday, August 20 and wraps up on Sunday, August 23 with a grand final "best-of-five (BO5)".

The layout of a typical day, as described by Valve:

A six-hour gap: that's the whole problem for French-speaking viewers. Matches start at 4 AM here, with the pre-show at 3:30 AM. A TI held in Shanghai is a competition you either watch very early or catch on replay.

The good news: the day stretches into late afternoon Chinese time. Doors close at 9 PM local time, or 3 PM Paris time. In practice, a French viewer who tunes in at 10 AM can still catch a good chunk of the day's program.

Where to watch, and in what language

Valve announced a broadcast "across multiple platforms and languages": Twitch, YouTube, and Steam are named, with separate streams by language — Chinese and English are explicitly listed among the official languages, alongside others.

Co-streaming is explicitly allowed, and Steam offers its own broadcast built into the client — the most convenient option if you want to follow the tournament without leaving the game.

Witness treasures can't be picked up from home

Watch out for a common misunderstanding. The section of the official notes devoted to witness treasures applies to spectators present in the arena:

« Fans must pick up their commemorative badge and loot bag when scanning their e-ticket during their first entry into the venue. Don't forget to link your badge to your Steam account to access Witness Treasures during the first blood of each The International match. »

The trigger is therefore the first blood of each match, and access requires a physical badge linked to a Steam account. If you're watching from France, this feature doesn't concern you.

What's happening inside the arena, for those attending

Valve details a fairly extensive side program, useful to know if you're following coverage from creators on site:

• Meet the teams: every day, in the 2F hall. Access is by lottery among those who bought their ticket before 5 p.m. the day before. Winners are notified electronically and their names appear on the hall's screens.
• The secret on-site shop: open from August 20 to 23 starting at 9 a.m., it closes after the first break of the last match series of the day. Purchases at the counters or takeout orders via the Perfect World app.
• Exhibits: TI pro jerseys and championship rings from all previous editions are on display, along with the hand-embroidered Aegis of Champions, visible throughout the event.
• Graffiti walls: every spectator can leave their signature there.
• Cosplayers: they roam the arena on Saturday and Sunday.
• Cosplay finale: on August 23, in the arena, right before the grand final.

Practical detail for those on site: re-entry is allowed up to three times per match day, requiring you to line up again each time. Seats are assigned, and entry is through Gate 0 (Gate 0 Plaza) — left line for 1F and Suite tickets, right line for 3F tickets, facing the arena.

What to remember before tomorrow morning

Three things. First: only eight teams remain, and half of the starting lineup has already gone home. Second: the bracket is double elimination, so a loss on Thursday doesn't mean elimination — that's exactly what makes the early days hard to read. Third: without an alarm set, you'll miss the live broadcast.

The grand final, meanwhile, takes place on Sunday, August 23 in a BO5. It's the only slot of the week worth setting an alarm for, no matter how invested you are in the scene.