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UPDATE: The International 8’s group stage has ended — you can find the full results here on The Flying Courier.
It’s the start of The International 8, the biggest event in Dota 2 — and possibly the world (at least financially). Eighteen teams have come together to fight it out for a massive prize and the glory of being known as the best Dota 2 team in the world.
But first, they need to make the cut in the group stages.
While group stages aren’t played out in front of an audience, it doesn’t make them any less important, as it sets up the bracket for the main event that will take place in Rogers Arena. More importantly for some of these teams, it’ll crop down the 18 to 16, with two teams being eliminated in order to make room for the bracket.
Fans, meanwhile, will get the first taste of what’s to come. Which teams have been practicing and studying up? What heroes will emerge as this event’s meta?
Don’t miss the action — we’ve got everything you need to know right here.
Groups
GROUP A
- Evil Geniuses [NA, Qualifiers]
- Fnatic [SEA, Qualifiers]
- Invictus Gaming [China, Qualifiers]
- Mineski Pro Team [SEA, Direct Invite]
- OG Dota [EU, Qualifiers]
- PSG.LGD [China, Qualifiers]
- Team Liquid [Europe, Direct Invite]
- VGJ.Thunder [China, Direct Invite]
- Winstrike [CIS, Qualifiers]
GROUP B
- Newbee [CN, Direct Invite]
- OpTic Gaming [NA, Qualifiers]
- paiN Gaming [SA, Qualifiers]
- Team Secret [EU, Direct Invite]
- Team Serenity [CN, Qualifiers]
- TNC.Predator [SEA, Qualifiers]
- Vici Gaming [CN, Direct Invite]
- VGJ.Storm [NA, Qualifiers]
- Virtus.Pro [CIS, Direct Invite]
Format
- The teams are divided into two groups of nine.
- Each of the teams plays each other in best-of-two matches, earning points based on their match results.
- The top four teams from each group advance into the Upper Bracket, playing live at the Main Event in the Rogers Arena.
- The next four drop into the Lower Bracket.
- The bottom team from each group is eliminated from The International entirely.
Schedule
(Note: Actual start times may vary based on match lengths and other factors, and are subject to change. Times listed in PT (Vancouver local) then ET.)
Official “Multistream:”
Official English casts:
Wednesday, August 15th
9 AM PT (12 PM ET) — Group A — Series 1
- IG vs Mineski
- PSG.LGD vs OG
- EG vs VGJ.Thunder
- Liquid vs Fnatic
11:30 AM PT — Group B — Series 1
- Vici vs VGJ.S
- Newbee vs TNC
- Secret vs Serenity
- VP vs OpTic
2 PM PT (5 PM PT) — Group A — Series 2
- IG vs EG
- PSG.LGD vs VGJ.T
- Liquid vs OG
- Mineski vs Winstrike
4:30 PM PT (7:30 PM ET) — Group B — Series 2
- paiN vs Newbee
- VG vs TNC
- Secret vs VGJ.Storm
- VP vs Serenity
7 PM PT (10 PM ET) — Group A — Series 3
- IG vs Winstrike
- PSG.LGD vs Liquid
- EG vs Mineski
- Fnatic vs VGJ.Thunder
Thursday, August 16
9 AM PT (12 PM ET) — Group B — Series 3
- paiN vs TNC
- Vici vs Newbee
- Secret vs VP
- OpTic vs VGJ.Storm
11:30 AM PT — Group A — Series 4
- IG vs Liquid
- PSG.LGD vs Winstrike
- EG vs OG
- Fnatic vs Mineski
2 PM PT (5 PM PT) — Group B — Series 4
- paiN vs Secret
- Vici vs Serenity
- Newbee vs OpTic
- VP vs TNC
4:30 PM PT (7:30 PM ET) — Group A — Series 5
- IG vs Fnatic
- PSG.LGD vs EG
- Mineski vs OG
- VGJ.Thunder vs Winstrike
7 PM PT (10 PM ET) — Group B — Series 5
- paiN vs VGJ.S
- VG vs Secret
- Newbee vs Serenity
- TNC vs OpTic
Friday, August 17
9 AM PT (12 PM ET) — Group A — Series 6
- IG vs VGJ.Thunder
- EG vs Winstrike
- Liquid vs Mineski
- Fnatic vs OG
11:30 AM PT — Group B — Series 6
- paiN vs Vici
- Newbee vs VP
- TNC vs VGJ.Storm
- OpTic vs Serenity
2 PM PT (5 PM PT) — Group A — Series 7
- IG vs OG
- PSG.LGD vs Fnatic
- Liquid vs Winstrike
- Mineski vs VGJ.Thunder
4:30 PM PT (7:30 PM ET) — Group B — Series 8
- paiN vs VP
- Newbee vs VGJ.Storm
- Secret vs OpTic
- TNC vs Serenity
7 PM PT (10 PM ET) — Group B — Series 8
- IG vs PSG.LGD
- EG vs Liquid
- Fnatic vs Winstrike
- OG vs VGJ.Thunder
Saturday, August 18th
9 AM PT (12 PM ET) — Group B — Series 8
- paiN vs OpTic
- PSG.LGD vs Mineski
- EG vs Fnatic
- Liquid vs VGJ.Thunder
11:30 AM PT — Group A — Series 9
- PSG.LGD vs Mineski
- EG vs Fnatic
- Liquid vs VGJ.Thunder
- OG vs Winstrike
2 PM PT (5 PM PT) — Group B — Series 9
- paiN vs Serenity
- Vici vs OpTic
- Newbee vs Secret
- VP vs VGJ.Storm