Two of the world's biggest gaming and esports events will be coming to the West Midlands next year.
DreamHack and ESL One will descend on the NEC campus in March, attracting thousands of people to the region from around the world.
DreamHack is a celebration of games, esports and internet pop culture and the 2026 edition will be the first time it has been held in the 海角视频 since its launch more than 20 years ago.
ESL One is a gaming competition featuring 16 of the world's best teams playing Dota 2, the multi-player battle game, which will have a prize pot of around 拢1 million.
This will be the fourth time it is held in the West Midlands after its appearance here in 2018, 2019 and 2024.
Sign up for your free West Midlands newsletter and follow us on LinkedIn
Email newsletters
BusinessLive is your home for business news from across the West Midlands including Birmingham, the Black Country, Solihull, Coventry and Staffordshire.
Click through here to sign up for our email newsletter and also view the broad range of other bulletins we offer including weekly sector-specific updates.
We will also send out 'Breaking News' emails for any stories which must be seen right away.
For all the latest stories, views and polls, follow our
DreamHack will be held over three days at the National Exhibition Centre in Solihull while ESL One will be held over eight days at the neighbouring bp pulse LIVE arena
It is estimated that the 海角视频 esports market is worth around 拢250 million in 2025 with 40 million players across the country.
Shahin Zarrabi, vice-president of festivals at event organiser ESL Faceit Group, said: "The 海角视频 has one of the world's most passionate gaming communities yet it's still underserved when it comes to festivals that unite every part of gaming culture.
"That's why we're bringing DreamHack to Birmingham - a city with a proven track record and the perfect stage for our 海角视频 debut.
"We're here for the long term - to invest, grow, and build something even bigger together with the community."
Product manager for Dota 2 脕lvaro S谩nchez Velasco added: "Returning to Birmingham with ESL One is a huge moment for us and the Dota 2 community.
"This year is even more special as we join forces with DreamHack to create a truly unique festival atmosphere.
"We can't wait to bring the best of Dota 2 esports to a city that has shown us so much passion over the years we've been here."
West Midlands Mayor Richard Parker said: "Esports has exploded into one of the fastest-growing parts of our economy.
"Our arenas are buzzing with global fans and players for events like DreamHack and ESL One. For us it's much more than entertainment.
"Our colleges and universities are full of young talent learning the skills to succeed in this multi-billion-pound industry.
"And, with world-class studios already here, and backing from gaming's biggest names, we're making the West Midlands the 海角视频's number one place to create, watch and play esports."
