Valve announced this year’s edition of Dota 2’s The International is making a long-awaited return to Europe today, with Copenhagen, Denmark revealed as the host for the 13th edition of the pinnacle event.

The shock announcement came on March 8 via an official blog post from Valve. This September’s return to the Old Continent will mean it’s the first time European crowds will experience TI since the tournament’s inception way back in 2011, and it comes as many believed Valve had locked in Seattle as the permanent home for the tournament once again.

A crowd in Singapore celebrates at The International 2022.
It’s been over a decade since European fans witnessed TI live at home. Photo via Valve

It’s the third time we’ve seen TI in Europe, but EU fans were denied a chance to watch the best Dota teams battle it out in 2021’s edition in Budapest due to COVID-19 restrictions. After a stop at Singapore in 2022, TI made a return to American shores in Seattle—the ancestral home of the tournament—and many assumed the city would host it once more in 2024.

Surprisingly, Valve decided otherwise, instead revealing Copenhagen’s Royal Arena will play host to the very best in competitive Dota 2. It’s far from the first time Denmark has seen a major esports event take place in Copenhagen with this year’s Counter-Strike 2 Major also taking place in the Royal Arena. It is, however, the first time the country has hosted a tier-one Dota 2 event of any kind.

Valve also announced a return to a “classic” invitation and qualification format. With the Dota Pro Circuit wrapping up in 2023, this year’s edition of TI will see participants both invited and qualifying for TI. “The invited teams will be announced leading up to the event, and chosen based on team performance during the year,” Valve said in the blog.

Without the DPC point system to guide the way, Valve will need to select invites based on performance across the third-party circuit, and given TI is just six months away, many are worried this doesn’t give enough time for teams to separate themselves from the pack. Fear not, says Valve, who says there is plenty of Dota between now and September.

“This year’s calendar is packed, with half a dozen major tournaments already announced and more on the way, including studio and arena tournaments in Europe, Asia, South America, and the Middle East,” Valve said, adding that more weight for invites will be given to teams that win cross-regional events with their own qualifiers, and to events with more teams in attendance.

Ticketing information for TI 2024 in Copenhagen is yet to be announced, but Valve says more details will be shared in the coming months.