ESL has announced a new Dota 2 tournament hosted by Birmingham, UK.
ESL One Birmingham will see 12 of the world’s best teams compete for a prize of $1 million and 1,500 DPC points.
The first Dota 2 Major in the UK
Hosted at the 15,800-seat Arena Birmingham, this will be the first Dota 2 Major in the United Kingdom. In May, six direct invitees and six regional qualifiers will converge from North America, South America, China, Europe, CIS, and Southeast Asia.
“This is a dream come true for the ESL UK team and a fantastic win for the UK scene,” said ESL UK Managing Director James Dean. “Dota 2 was the very first tournament we ran just after starting up in 2012. We are honored to have this opportunity and hope to make the UK Dota 2 community extremely proud.”
May 23 marks the beginning of the tourney’s group stage. Then, the finals are slated for May 25-27. In addition to the $1 million prize pool, teams can also claim a share of 1,500 Dota Pro Circuit points. This is especially important as ESL One Birmingham will be one of the last three tournaments before The International 2018.
Tickets to the event are on sale now.
ESL One gets another top destination
While holding this event in England is a first for Dota 2, the country has played host to major esports tournaments. The League of Legends World Championships 2015, for example, took place at SSE Arena in Wembley, London.
“It’s tremendous news for the city to be playing host to such a prestigious international esports event,” said West Midlands Mayor Andy Street. “Birmingham is renowned for major sporting events such as the World Indoor Athletics Championships and Commonwealth Games, so we very much look forward to welcoming the Dota 2 community. As the second largest city in the UK, Birmingham has a huge amount to offer and hosting the UK’s first Dota 2 Major adds to the city’s fascinating history.”
More details on this event are expected in the coming weeks and months.
