The International 8 China Qualifiers: Schedule, teams and format

你好! (Ni hao!) As The Flying Courier is compiling schedules and format explainers for every Regional Main Qualifier this year, this one is for China! If you want to see one for each of the six qualifying regions, check out the hub we’ve created for all the schedules!

---

NOTE: The China Qualifier has ended, and this post has been updated with results.

SPOILERS BELOW.

---

The International 8 is upon us, and it’s time for the first step in the road to Vancouver. With eight teams already qualified, ten more need to prove themselves as worthy of the Aegis of Champions this August. Thousands of teams have played through their respective regional Open Qualifiers, and few have earned spots in their region’s Main Qualifier. Now, the best that have kept their rosters take on a mix of go-getting hopefuls and regional stars that may have mixed their roster (or are playing for fun).

The China qualifier is likely going to be a deathmatch, as with five teams already qualified through the Dota Pro Circuit, Valve has only given room for two more through these Main Qualifiers. (One-third of the event is enough, right?) In the mix are familiar names, such as Invictus Gaming’s two squads and LGD.Forever Young, versus stacks such as Ferrari_430’s “Young Dumb” and Pro Circuit fighters Keen Gaming.

Which team will earn their spots in Vancouver? If you want to keep up, we’ve got everything you need right here.

---

RESULTS

QUALIFYING TEAMS

• Team Serenity (Open Qualifiers)
• Invictus Gaming (Direct Invite)

PLAYOFFS

Liquipedia

GROUP STAGES

Liquipedia

Liquipedia

Liquipedia

---

TEAMS

• CDEC Gaming (Open Qualifier)
• For The Dream (Open Qualifier)
• Invictus Gaming (Direct Invite)
• IG.Vitality (Open Qualifier)
• Keen Gaming (Open Qualifier)
• LGD.Forever Young (Open Qualifier)
• Team Serenity (Open Qualifier)
• Young Dumb (Open Qualifier)

---

FORMAT

QUALIFYING SPOTS: Two

EVENT FORMAT: This event will have one all-team group stage, followed by a double-elimination bracket.

1. In the group stage, all teams play each other in a best-of-one round-robin.
2. The top four teams advance; the bottom four are eliminated.
3. Remaining teams will face off in a double-elimination bracket. All rounds are best-of-three.
4. The Upper and Lower Bracket winners will qualify for TI8.

COVERAGE: BeyondTheSummit is providing the most extensive coverage of TI8 Qualifiers. However, there may be other streamers on sites such as Twitch that are casting, due to Valve’s extremely permissive rules on casting official events.

---

SCHEDULE

Note: Times are approximate and are subject to change as games run longer or shorter. Local time (Chinese Standard Time) and Eastern Time (NYC) are listed.

Need to convert to your local time? Click here for a handy time zone converter.

GROUP STAGES

Monday, June 18 — Group Stages Day 1

• 11:00 AM CST (11:00 PM ET, Sunday, June 17)
  Series 1 — IG vs Serenity
• 11:30 AM CST (11:30 PM ET)
  Series 1 — Keen vs CDEC
• 12:00 PM CST (12:00 AM ET, Monday, June 18)
  Series 2 — IG.V vs LFY
• 12:30 PM CST (12:30 AM ET)
  Series 2 — FTD vs YD
• 1:20 PM CST (1:20 AM ET)
  Series 3 — IG vs FTD
• 1:40 PM CST (1:40 AM ET)
  Series 3 — IG vs CDEC
• 2:30 PM CST (2:30 AM ET)
  Series 4 — LFY vs Keen
• 3:00 PM CST (3:00 AM ET)
  Series 4 — Serenity vs YD
• 4:00 PM CST (4:00 AM ET)
  Series 5 —
  Serenity vs FTD
  IG vs CDEC
• 5:00 PM CST (5:00 AM ET)
  Series 6 —
  YD vs LFY
  Serenity vs Keen
• 6:00 PM CST (6:00 AM ET)
  Series 7 —
  IG.V vs FTD
  CDEC vs YD
• 7:20 PM CST (7:20 AM ET)
  Series 8 —
  IG vs Keen
  Serenity vs IG.V

Tuesday, June 19 — Group Stages Day 1

• 11:00 AM CST (11:00 PM ET, Monday, June 18)
  Series 9 — CDEC vs LFY
• 11:30 AM CST (11:30 PM ET)
  Series 9 — IG vs IG.V
• 12:00 PM CST (12:00 AM ET, Tuesday, June 19)
  Series 10 — FTD vs Keen
• 12:30 PM CST (12:30 AM ET)
  Series 10 — Serenity vs LFY
• 1:00 PM CST (1:00 AM ET)
  Series 11 — YD vs IG.V
• 1:30 PM CST (1:30 AM ET)
  Series 11 — Serenity vs CDEC
• 2:00 PM CST (2:00 AM ET)
  Series 12 — IG vs LFY
• 2:30 PM CST (2:30 AM ET)
  Series 12 — KG vs IG.V
• 3:00 PM CST (3:00 AM ET)
  Series 13 — CDEC vs FTD
• 3:30 PM CST (3:30 AM ET)
  Series 13 — KG vs YD
• 4:00 PM CST (4:00 AM ET)
  Series 14 — LFY vs FTD
• 4:30 PM CST (4:30 AM ET)
  Series 14 — IG vs YD

PLAYOFFS

Wednesday, June 20 — Playoffs Day 1

• 12:00 PM CST (12:00 AM ET) — Semi-finals Match 1
  For The Dream vs IG
• 3:00 PM CST (1:00 AM ET) — Semi-finals Match 2
  Serenity vs LFY
• 6:00 PM CST (6:00 AM ET) — Upper Bracket Finals
  [Winner qualifiers for TI8]

Thursday, June 21 — Playoffs Day 2

• 12:00 PM CST (12:00 AM ET) — Lower Bracket Semis
  Semi-final losers meet here
• 3:00 PM CST (1:00 AM ET) — Lower Bracket Finals
  Lower Bracket Semis Winner vs Upper Bracket Final Loser
  [Winner qualifies for TI8]