The best Dota 2 tournaments to watch in summer 2023

William Davis Published 01/07/2023

This summer will bring tons of exciting Dota 2 tournaments, 

Dota 2 stands out as one of the most exciting online games today. Besides playing for fun, competitive tournaments attract a huge fan base as teams contest for prowess and the ultimate pool prize.

Upcoming Dota 2 Tournaments 

Dota 2 fans have plenty of events to look forward to in the summer of 2023. With the year’s first half complete, what Dota 2 matches should you keep your eyes on this summer into autumn?

Riyadh Masters

The biggest Dota 2 tournament of 2023 may not be The International. Riyadh Masters is putting up an insane pool prize of $15,000,000, which is more than The International 2022 and likely more than the 2023 version of the event. The massive tournament, which will also feature several other esports, is scheduled to start on July 17 in Saudi Arabia. The Riyadh Masters tournament is an initiative by the Savvy Gaming Group and will feature three phases of competition.

The play-in stage will feature 12 teams in a best-of-two round-robin. The top eighty will advance to the group stage, where they will compete with eight invited teams to get a chance in the playoffs. The 16 teams are divided into two groups to play a number of best-of-threes. Only 12 teams will proceed to the playoffs.

The final leg of the event will feature the top 12 teams competing for a pool prize worth $15 million. The top eight teams compete in the upper bracket, while positions five and six contest in the lower bracket. This series is played in a best-of-three format with a best-of-five grand final. 

This event will attract all of the biggest teams in the world and top names like Gaimin Gladiators, Team Liquid, PSG.LGD, and Shopify Rebellion will all be in attendance. With the biggest prize pool of the year, Riyadh Masters is a must-watch Dota 2 tournament for summer 2023.

IESF World Championship 2023

This is a Dota 2 tournament organized by the International Esports Federation (IESF) since 2014 and features national teams in specific countries. The tournament is scheduled to take place between August 25 and September 3.

Teams participating in the IESF World Championship will contest for a pool prize worth $100,000, but the real draw of the competition is its unique nationality-based team composition. Teams must have five players, all competing from their home country. This will give fans a sense of national pride watching their country take on the world.

Despite its small prize pool, the prestige of the competition has attracted dozens of top players. Big names like Bozhidar “bzm” Bogdanov of OG, Nicolas “Gunnar” Lopez of nouns, and Gustav “s4” Magnusson of Alliance will represent their countries on the global stage.

The International Dota 2 World Championship 2023

The International Dota 2 event is an annual encounter that marks the end of the Dota Pro Circuit. Last year’s finals between Tundra Sports and Team Spirit attracted the highest viewership of approximately 1.7 million, with the latter emerging victorious. TI may not have the biggest prize this year, but it will keep its status as the most prestigious of all Dota 2 tournaments thanks to its iconic trophy, the Aegis of Champions.

TI’s competition happens two months after the Bali Major and regional qualifiers end in August. This year’s playoffs are scheduled to run from October 14 to 17, and fans will be able to attend the thrilling climax in person. Valve has also announced a new way to celebrate TI in-game, and fans should expect an exciting in-game update to help fund the event’s prize pool.

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