The competition takes place in Hamburg, Germany. The Cosplay Finals and Winner Presentation will be on-stage at the Barclays Arena on zondag, 14 septemberth.

Pre-judging will be held near the Arena on woensdag, 10 septemberth and donderdag, 11 septemberth. Contestants can choose a pre-judging day upon acceptance and will be assigned a time slot.

Keep an eye on email communication for more specifics. Na registratie krijg je alle informatie toegestuurd.

Any individual who can be in Hamburg, Germany for the Pre-judging and Winner Presentation Event dates and construct a Dota 2 cosplay can sign up to participate in the Cosplay competition at the event. Je hoeft geen bezoeker van het evenement te zijn.

The contest organizers will make sure that all registrants have access to the area designated for Pre-judging on Wednesday September 10th and/or donderdag, 11 septemberth. Subsequently, all finalists will be provided with two General Admission tickets to The International (contestant and handler).

Due to new venue regulations, we are unable to reimburse finalists who have already purchased their TI tickets. All finalists, including those who purchased tickets on their own, will receive two General Admission tickets to The International.

You will need to be in full cosplay with all props for the Pre-judging on Wednesday September 10th or Thursday September 11th. Also, on September 14th, if you qualify for the Cosplay Finals and Winner Presentation.

Nee, dit is een individuele wedstrijd. Groepen mogen het niet opnemen tegen individuen. Menselijke “rekwisieten” worden per geval beoordeeld.

No, but organizers reserve the right to put a cap on the number of cosplayers qualifying for pre-judging.

Er zijn kleedruimtes beschikbaar op de locatie van de jurering en de finale. Kom alsjeblieft zo veel mogelijk in cosplay, want de ruimte is beperkt.

Costumes must be maneuverable enough to enter and exit the presentation area. In case of an emergency, all parts of the cosplay including props must be removed from the arena.

Best In Show Award (€5.000 + 2 General Admission Tickets): Cosplayer with the highest overall score for a participant following the Judging.

Best Technique Award (€2.500 + 2 General Admission Tickets): Cosplayer with the cleanest most precise work. Cosplay moet indruk maken door design, beweeglijkheid en bestendigheid.

Biggest Transformation Award (€2.500 + 2 General Admission Tickets): Cosplay must represent a complete outfit that impresses in scope and construction. Een sterke visuele impact zal een belangrijke rol spelen, maar de cosplay moet ook goed gemaakt en draagbaar zijn.

Judges’ Choice Award (€2.500 + 2 General Admission Tickets): Cosplayer who impresses the judges the most with their showmanship and portrayal of the character.

To be fair to all who applied in time, we do not accept applications once the online form has been closed – after 11 August 2025, 23:59 CET.

We weten dat dit vervelend is om te horen, vooral als je pas na die datum van de wedstrijd hebt gehoord. We hopen echter dat je dan volgend jaar mee zult doen! Follow steelseries and Valve social media channels for The International Cosplay Competition updates.

Send all queries to [email protected]