DreamHack and ESL One make their way to Birmingham in 2026
Summary
DreamHack and ESL One are joining forces for DreamHack Birmingham in March 2026 — DreamHack’s first-ever UK festival and a homecoming for ESL One’s Dota 2 tournament. The combined event will take place across NEC Birmingham and bp pulse LIVE, featuring a $1M ESL One Dota 2 tournament with 16 teams, plus DreamHack’s wider festival programming: cosplay, creators, live music, tabletop, and more.
Tickets go on sale 23 September 2025. DreamHack runs March 27–29, 2026; ESL One runs March 22–29, 2026, with the final days staged live in front of fans at bp pulse LIVE.
Key Points
- DreamHack Birmingham marks DreamHack’s UK debut after 20+ years of festivals worldwide.
- ESL One Birmingham returns with a $1,000,000 prize pool, 16 Dota 2 teams and a round-robin + double-elimination playoff format.
- Event dates: ESL One March 22–29, 2026; DreamHack March 27–29, 2026. Venues: NEC Birmingham and bp pulse LIVE.
- NEC Group will host both events; the venues are close to Birmingham Airport and attract millions of visitors annually.
- Ticketing: DreamHack 3-day early tickets from £39 (rising to £59); ESL One guaranteed seating from £89 for three days. DreamHack tickets include festival access and ESL One, while ESL One tickets guarantee seating at bp pulse LIVE.
- The UK esports market is growing fast — revenues projected at $250.7m in 2025 and user numbers approaching 24 million by 2029, making Birmingham a strategic host city.
- Organisers emphasise a long-term investment in the UK scene and community-focused festival growth.
Context and Relevance
This is a significant moment for the UK games and esports scene: DreamHack’s first UK edition plus a major ESL One Dota 2 event elevates Birmingham as a hub for competitive and community gaming. The pairing brings both festival-style culture and top-tier esports together, signalling confidence in the UK market’s commercial growth and fanbase. For local studios, education providers and professionals, it presents networking, talent and economic upside; for fans it means large-scale live experiences and international competition on home soil.
Author’s take
Punchy: This is big. DreamHack’s UK debut alongside a million-dollar ESL One is the kind of calendar-defining moment that can shift where teams, organisers and fans plan to gather. If you follow UK esports or live events, you should pay attention — this isn’t just another stop on the circuit, it’s a statement.
Why should I read this?
Because if you like watching big esports, attending gaming festivals, or working in the UK games scene, this is one event that actually matters. First-time DreamHack UK + a top-tier Dota 2 tournament in one place = great content, big crowds and networking opportunities. Tickets go fast, and the UK market is growing — so yeah, it’s worth knowing the dates and prices now.
Source
Source: https://gamingtrend.com/news/dreamhack-and-esl-one-make-their-way-to-birmingham-in-2026/