The International 2026 group stage wraps up on August 16, leaving eight teams for the Main Event in Shanghai from August 20-23: TEAM VISION, Team Liquid, Nigma Galaxy, Team Falcons, BoomBoys, Team Spirit, Iron Wing and Team Yandex.
The opening playoff games are now scheduled, giving us four very different quarterfinals on August 20. Follow the full schedule and results on the The International event hub on Frag.
The eight teams through to the TI 2026 playoffs
For the wider tournament format and stream information, see our guide to watching The International 2026.
Upcoming TI 2026 playoff games – August 20
This is a strong opening test for Iron Wing. Pure, bzm and 33 give them plenty of individual quality, but Spirit bring Yatoro and Collapse plus the experience of playing deep into major tournaments. How Iron Wing handle Spirit once the game becomes messy should tell us a lot.
TEAM VISION come into this one with Satanic as one of the standout players to watch. BoomBoys have already earned their place in the final eight, but stopping VISION means finding a way to pressure the map before Satanic can take over the game.
One of the more interesting style clashes of the opening round. Liquid have Nisha and plenty of playoff experience, while Yandex can lean on watson as a major late-game win condition. Liquid will want control – Yandex will be dangerous if the game stays open.
The final quarterfinal of the day puts SumaiL and lorenof against a Falcons side built around the aggression of Malr1ne and ATF. Nigma have the players to punish mistakes, but Falcons will want to make the series uncomfortable early rather than let Nigma settle into it.
Who has looked strongest?
TEAM VISION are one of the most interesting teams coming out of the group stage, especially with Satanic as their carry. He gives them a clear late-game threat.
Team Spirit remain an obvious contender. Yatoro and Collapse have been through this stage before and Spirit are rarely out of a game, even when the early stages go badly.
Defending champions Team Falcons are another team nobody will want to meet. Malr1ne and ATF give them an aggressive core that can turn an early advantage into constant pressure.
Team Liquid also have the experience to go deep, with Nisha still the player to watch when Liquid start taking control of the map.
Players to watch
The carry matchup alone is stacked. Satanic, Yatoro, Pure and watson can all become the main win condition for their teams. Nisha, SumaiL, lorenof, bzm and Malr1ne are names to follow through the mid game, while Collapse, 33 and ATF can shape a series from the offlane.
What to watch when the playoffs start
The break before August 20 gives every team time to prepare for a specific opponent. Draft adjustments, Roshan control and late-game execution should matter more now, especially with this much experience in the field.
All four opening quarterfinals are scheduled for August 20. Keep the TI 2026 event hub open for local match times, results and the rest of the bracket as the Main Event develops.