The International 2025 is preparing to open in spectacular fashion, with fans around the world eagerly awaiting what promises to be one of the most memorable ceremonies in esports. The opening ceremony will officially mark the beginning of TI 2025’s main event with the final eight teams that made it through the group stage.
This year’s edition carries an added layer of history, as the Barclays Arena in Hamburg, Germany, plays host to the opening. The choice of venue marks a symbolic return to the country that helped launch Dota 2’s competitive legacy, with Germany hosting the very first International at GamesCom back in 2011. Fourteen years later, the event comes full circle, returning to German soil with a far grander stage, a global audience, and a legacy that has grown into one of esports’ defining spectacles.
