Banners, tattered but resolute, are unfurled. War trumpets, battered but resolute, are buffed with war trumpet polish until they gleam. Weapons, resolute but dull, are sharpened on whetstones in rhythmic strokes, until they are perhaps too sharp, and dulled up a little on nearby flagstones so no one cuts themselves. The banners (tattered, resolute and unfurled, see earlier) are hoisted high, their sigils stitched with sequins of the most defiant bedazzlement.

That's right. The stars have aligned and the stage is once again being set for cosmic battle. And this time, that battle has returned to where it all began: Germany, the site of The International's humble debut on the world stage, where it was watched in person by many tens of people. Now, fourteen years later, The International returns to Germany, to Hamburg's Barclays Arena September 11 - 14 — in front of, we trust, a slightly bigger crowd this time around.

The sixteen contending teams will once again consist of a mix of open qualifiers, regional qualifiers, and direct invitations, with more information on all of that to come. For now, there's still a ton of professional Dota to be played before we can get there. The January viewing calendar has already been packed, as teams around the world fight through qualifiers to earn spots in tournaments slated to kick off in the weeks and months ahead.

Stay tuned for more information on ticketing and scheduling for The International 2025. Until then, tune into some of the pro games to get an early edge on knowing who's who and clocking the teams to beat.