Birmingham set to host two major international gaming events
Two of the world’s biggest events in gaming and esports - DreamHack and ESL One - will be coming to Birmingham in March 2026.
DreamHack Birmingham will be the first ever festival held on UK soil in its 20+ year history, bringing together all gaming communities to celebrate games, esports and internet pop culture.
Featuring one of the most prestigious esports tournaments, ESL One, returns to the UK for its fourth iteration, with a $1M prize pool, showcasing 16 of the world’s best Dota 2 teams.
Richard Parker, Mayor of the West Midlands 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 UK’s number one place to create, watch and play esports.”
The UK has rapidly established itself as one of Europe’s fastest-growing esports markets, with revenues set to hit $250.7 million in 2025 (Statista, 2025) and user numbers projected to reach nearly 24 million by 2029 (Statisa, 2025).
Home to nearly 40 million gamers nationwide (Statista, 2024), esports is now both a cultural and economic force in the UK — and DreamHack festivals, which reach over 200,000 visitors globally and tens of millions online, are perfectly positioned to bring this vibrant community together on one stage.
The NEC Birmingham and bp pulse LIVE offer two of the UK’s largest and most versatile event venues, operated by the NEC Group. Conveniently located just minutes from Birmingham Airport, the venues welcome seven million visitors each year to hundreds of live events and trade shows.
Ian Taylor, managing director of the NEC said: "We’re thrilled to welcome ESL One Birmingham back to the NEC and we're equally excited to host DreamHack for the very first time.
"We're perfectly located for bringing gaming communities together from across the globe, and we can't wait to host one of the biggest gaming events in the calendar!"
Tickets can be purchased starting September 23 at 15:00 BST on DreamHack and ESL One.
DreamHack 3-day tickets start at £39.00 during the first two weeks and will be priced from £59.00 thereafter.
ESL One guaranteed seating starts at £89.00 for all three days, with add-ons also available.
All DreamHack ticket holders receive full access to all parts of the DreamHack festival experience, including ESL One, though entry to bp pulse LIVE is limited by capacity.
Purchasing an ESL One ticket guarantees a seat in the bp pulse LIVE and also grants full access to DreamHack.
Pictured: ESL One Birmingham 2024
