The International 2020 is heading to Stockholm, Sweden. The reveal was made during a special announcement ahead of the grand finals to The International 2019.
“Next year, Stockholm is excited to host this global celebration by welcoming the tenth International Dota 2 Championship to our wonderful city. Stockholm is bursting with creativity, and the passion for Dota runs deep,” Stockholm mayor Anna Konig Jerlmyr said in a short video. “We are honored to host the world in cheering on your favorite teams while paying tribute to a decade of champions as they compete for the most prestigious trophy in all of esports.”
Though it was not explicitly stated, the Ericsson Globe will likely be the venue for the event.
Sweden has been home to a number of prominent Dota 2 events throughout the game’s history, in part thanks to the enduring support of tournament organizer DreamHack. The Jonkoping-based organizer has supported Dota 2 since its infancy, dating back to seasonal DreamHack events in 2012 and most recently putting together the DreamLeague Major in March.
Sweden has also produced a great deal of Dota 2 talent over the years. While the country is best known for its enduring success in the Counter-Strike series of games, Sweden is also the home to elite players such as Gustav “s4” Magnusson and Ludwig “zai” WĂĄhlberg, and was the base for former TI champions Alliance.
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This also marks the return of The International to Europe. Though TI is most firmly attached to Valve’s hometown of Seattle, Washington, the first edition of the annual event actually took place in Cologne, Germany.
The news was generally well-received by Dota 2 fans, but the reveal left North Americans a bit nervous. From 2012 to 2017, The International was hosted in Seattle while The International 2018 moved a bit farther north to Vancouver.
Moving The International 2019 to Shanghai left North American fans with no Dota 2 majors and no Dota 2 minors. Having The International take place an ocean away for the second consecutive year hints that the region may be receiving less attention as an event destination.
Fans looking to attend The International 2020 shouldn’t start clearing their calendars quite yet. No date was given for the event, though it is likely to be held in August again.
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