The International 2021

The International 2021

Rules
Participants
12 teams qualify through Dota Pro Circuit
6 teams qualify through Regional Qualifiers; one team each from North America, South America, Western Europe, Eastern Europe, China and Southeast Asia

Group Stage - October 7th - October 10th, 2021

Eighteen teams divided in two groups of nine teams each where they play in a round-robin format.
All matches are played in a Bo2.
Top four teams in each group advance to the Upper Bracket of the Main Event.
Top seed in each group will pick their first opponent for the playoffs from either the 3rd or 4th place finish in the opposite group.
Bottom team in each group is eliminated.
Remaining teams advance to the Lower Bracket of the Main Event.

Main Event - October 12th - October 17th, 2021

Sixteen teams play in a double-elimination bracket.
Eight teams begin in the Upper Bracket, eight in the Lower Bracket.
First Lower Bracket match is Bo1, Grand Final is Bo5, all others matches are Bo3.