Birmingham2026

March 27 – 29BP Pulse Live Arena (at the nec)

Perimeter Rd
Marston Green
Birmingham
B40 1NT

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16 Teams

$ 1,000,000

ESL ONEWe're so back.

Our flagship event returns to Birmingham and its incredible crowd in 2026. 16 of the world’s best teams will battle their way to the City of a Thousand Trades, where they will compete for the title of ESL One Champions.

With a new format, more teams, the best crowd in esports, and all of DreamHack Birmingham to explore with any ESL One ticket, we’ve never been so back.

Play Video

OUR 16 TEAMS

Legend: WEU = Western Europe | EEU = Eastern Europe | SEA = South East Asia | CN = China | NA = North America | SA = South America

Tickets

Access on March 27-29

LIVE NOW

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Get ready to grab yours

3 DayFloor Seating

£159

Sit closest to the players!
Best Chance to be on the camera!

General Access to DreamHack Birmingham!
Seats in the infield!
General Access to Signing Sessions
Sit closest to the players!
Prioritised in giveaways!
Meme with the hosts live on stream!

* Floor seating ticket buyers have a higher chance of being interviewed on stream!

3 DayTiered Seating

£89

Incredible Dota experienced in the very heart of the crowd!

* Floor seating ticket buyers have a higher chance of being interviewed on stream!

1DayFriday Ticket

£34 - £59

Now available for floor and tiered seating areas!

* Floor seating ticket buyers have a higher chance of being interviewed on stream!

1DaySaturday Ticket

£44 - £79

Now available for floor and tiered seating areas!

* Floor seating ticket buyers have a higher chance of being interviewed on stream!

1DaySunday Ticket

£49 - £89

Now available for floor and tiered seating areas!

* Floor seating ticket buyers have a higher chance of being interviewed on stream!

ESL One+Upgrade

£99

Available for all ticket types!

Goodie bag Details

Take a sneak peek inside the Goodie Bag!

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Butcher_Hoodie_V2_16x9

Coin_V2_16x9

Abbey_T-Shirt_V1_16x9

Pin_1_V1_16x9

Gymsack_V2_16x9

£2.95 Admin Fee (per order)

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One ticket, two worlds

ESL One Ticket buyers for 2026 are privileged to have the best gaming festival in the world as their event expo, with access included totally free when you purchase an ESL One Birmingham ticket.

EXPO

Where brands, exhibitors, and partners show off the latest gear, wildest ideas, and the next big thing in gaming culture.

Cosplay

Cosplay is for everyone at DreamHack. Suit up if you want, cheer from the crowd if you don’t, and dive into workshops that spark your creativity.

Freeplay

Leave your setup at home, we’ve got you covered! The Freeplay area is packed with PCs ready for you to get your 5 stack together and play some Dotes.

Quests

DreamHack Quests turn the festival into a real-life video game adventure. Search and complete quests for unique merch and loot.

Format

Groupstage

Playoffs

Place	Prize Money	Club Reward	EPT Points
1st	$250,000	$40,000	8000
2nd	$100,000	$30,000	6000
3rd	$80,000	$25,000	5000
4th	$60,000	$20,000	4000
5th	$40,000	$15,000	2800
6th	$40,000	$15,000	2800
7th	$27,500	$12,500	1300
8th	$27,500	$12,500	1300
9th	$20,000	$10,000	700
10th	$20,000	$10,000	700
11th	$17,500	$10,000	350
12th	$17,500	$10,000	350
13th	$15,000	$10,000	180
14th	$15,000	$10,000	180
15th	$10,000	$10,000	100
16th	$10,000	$10,000	100
+ Group A First Place			800
+ Group B First Place			800
Total	$750,000	$250,000	35460

Group Stage Placement	EPT Points
1st	640

Cosplayin Birmingham

Come and join us in Birmingham for a Celebration of Dota 2 Cosplay!

Sign-Ups for the Cosplay Showcase close on the 6th February 2026, or once we reach 15 registered cosplayers — so don’t wait to register and miss out!

You'll receive:

2x Floor Seat Tickets, for you and a friend to help with your costume
Dedicated professional photography and videography in the arena taken by our crew throughout the weekend!
A Cosplay Manager on-site to answer any questions.
Access to the DreamHack Cosplayer Lounge! Please ensure you're at the ESL One Arena at least 30 minutes before the Cosplay Showcase begins.
A Cosplay Showcase to show off your cosplay live on stage!

Subject to Changes.
Last Updated: 12th January 2026

Event Tips:

Come prepared with your cosplay early on each day — it can take time to get through security!
Be sure to read the rules on banned items before you arrive.
Plan for the Showcase - practice your hero's taunt, or decide how you want to bring your hero to life!
Don't be shy! If you have any issues, the cosplay manager and other cosplayers will be there to help you.
Reach out to dota.cosplay@eslgaming.com if you have any questions or concerns leading up to the event!

Schedule:

Important Information for Cosplayers:

Banned Weapons

Banned Items

Sharp or blunt objects e.g. swords, axes, kunai, ice skates, and knives.
Guns, rifles, or artillery including airsoft guns, BB guns, paintball guns or props built from parts of these items
Hard bats, paddles or clubs e.g. wooden or metal baseball bats, golf clubs
Gun props made of metal or hard wood
Functional projectile weapons e.g. strung bows or crossbows. Slings and catapults
Sharp items e.g. arrows, bolts, protruding nails
Laser pointers, vuvuzelas, silly string, and drones (even if not part of a costume)
Heavy tools and power tools e.g. iron pokers, crowbars, drills, chainsaws
Chemical weapons, explosives, and incendiary device e.g. mace, pepper spray
Large pressurised containers and gas canisters Fog or vapour machines;
Any items restricted or prohibited from being carried by law e.g. knuckledusters, nunchucks, and bokken (a type of hard wooden or toughened plastic training sword).
Heavy items that could be used as weapons e.g. iron pokers, heavy cast iron pans, or crowbars are not permitted. Nor are power tools such as actual chainsaws or hedge trimmers.
Note that some venues prohibit other items e.g. glass bottles and vessels, alcohol, and e-cigarettes. Please check with the venue before bringing such items.
No exceptions are made for special licences, memberships, or training. Police may destroy confiscated items without warning. Attendees bring items to an event at their own risk.
Permission may be given for anything usually forbidden by these rules on a case-by-case basis e.g. to an exhibitor or sponsor for a promotion.

Standard Items

Standard Items

Items that people normally carry such as umbrellas or regular walking sticks, as well as small lightweight mundane items such as vegetables, pans, rolling pins, and racquets are allowed up to a length of 150cm. Most musical instruments e.g. guitars are allowed.
Lightweight plastic or foam bats, paddles, and clubs are fine.
Heavy items that could be used as weapons e.g. iron pokers, heavy cast iron pans, canes with heavy metal tops or crowbars are not permitted. Nor are power tools such as actual chainsaws or hedge trimmers.
Ice skates are not allowed, even with skate guards attached.
Roller skates and blades, skateboards, scooters, battery operated go-carts, etc. are only permitted in areas that the venue allows their use. Assume any part of a venue under a roof forbids their use.
Large, scenic props on wheels e.g. trolleys may be permitted outside the show halls at security’s discretion but are not suitable inside the busy show halls. Small, lightweight static items such as tables that can be quickly packed and moved may similarly be permitted.
Small Remote-control items may be used outside at the NEC’s discretion. They should be driven carefully and in open space where no vehicles or people can hit it or trip on it.
Items that may be used outside may need to be left in the cloakroom or with security to enter the show halls.

Melee Props

Melee Props

Most melee weapon props are permitted except those listed in the Banned Items list. Any sensible material is permitted e.g. lightweight wood, foam, card; avoid materials that may shatter into sharp pieces or otherwise pose a danger or may be banned by the venue e.g. props including a glass item in their construction.
The maximum size permitted is 150cm, or 180cm in the case of a narrow staff/spear. Any items exceeding these dimensions must dismantle into smaller pieces without tools and be so dismantled before entering crowded areas.
Scythes are a particularly difficult item to carry safely. As such, they must be made to disconnect into two parts without tools regardless of size i.e. the blade removes from the handle.
Shields are allowed as long as they do not exceed 1 metre in height or width or have any sharp edges.
Whips are permitted if kept coiled.
Theatre items such hollow aluminium retracting swords with no sharp edge are permitted.
Foam weapons built round a core such as those used for live action roleplaying are permitted.
Lightsabers are permitted- including those with a metal hilt.

Guns and Projectiles

GUNS AND PROJECTILES

Please take care when outside or when transporting any form of firearm prop.
Regardless of how realistic it looks, ensure it is completely hidden while travelling and be aware of your surroundings, attire, and the appearance of your props to bystanders when outside. Don’t assume a costume reassures people that the weapon is a prop.
False alarms waste police resources and risk creating stricter rules and laws.
Unrealistic and toy guns such as those sourced from modern children’s programming (made of brightly coloured plastics, with flashing lights and stickers), or that are clearly science fiction based (phasers, plasma guns, blasters) are permitted; maximum size is 150cm.
Prop versions of antiquated muzzle loading guns such as flintlock pistols & blunderbuss made from lighter materials (not metal or hard wood) are similarly allowed.
Airsoft guns, BB guns, deactivated guns, paintball guns, metal gun props, or props built using these or parts of these as a base are not permitted.
Other Realistic imitation firearm props (excluding airsoft guns, BB guns, deactivated guns, paintball guns and metal gun props) made of lightweight materials are permitted with a brightly coloured tip on the end of the muzzle of the gun which is clearly visible from most angles OR if they have significantly brightly coloured portion. In the case of a brightly coloured tip, it does not have to be permanently fixed to the item and can be removed for photographs if fitted back in place immediately afterwards.
Caps, incendiaries and any ammunition that can be fired are not allowed. Compressed air chambers and batteries for weapons are similarly not permitted.
Replica rocket and missile launchers, mortars, and other anti-aircraft or artillery props are not sensible items to transport or bring to the event. If you do so, do not expose them to view when outside. This is particularly important for the London and Birmingham shows.

Important Information for Cosplayers:

FAQs

Ticket FAQs

I’ve bought a Dreamhack ticket. How can I access ESL One?

Your Dreamhack badge gives you full access to Dreamhack, including ESL One. BP Pulse access is limited by capacity and the Dreamhack badge doesn’t guarantee access to the venue. To have guaranteed access, you need a ESL One ticket.

I’ve purchased an ESL One Ticket. How do I enjoy my DreamHack benefits?

Your ESL One wristband gives you full access to DreamHack. After registering your ticket and receiving your wristband, you’ll be given a badge and you can walk to NEC Halls 1, 2, or 3 via the corridor between bp pulse LIVE or the walkways outside.

Do tickets have assigned seats?

No, tickets don’t have assigned seats. The event is general admission inside the seating area that you bought your ticket for.

How many tickets can I purchase?

Each individual is allowed to purchase up to 8 tickets only. This is to prevent the scalping of tickets.

Is there a priority queue for signing sessions?

Yes! ESL One+ Upgrade Buyers will have a separate queue with a higher chance of seeing their favourite players and getting their signature.

Can I still check in if I arrive later in the day?

You can check in whenever you want to! However, the earlier you arrive, the more time you’ll have to watch the matches, visit the booths and go to signing sessions!

If you purchased an ESL One+ Upgrade and show up late, you will lose the Early Access on the day of your entry, but will still receive it on subsequent days.

When and where do I get my goodie bag included in the ESL One+ Upgrade?

You’ll be able to receive your goodiebag from a booth inside the bp pulse LIVE arena once you’ve received your wristband and gain entry to the venue.

Keep an eye out for the event map which should be published a week or two ahead of the event.

Can I refund my ticket or give it to a friend?

Refunds are not available for any ESL One tickets once purchased. However, you can give your ticket to a friend if you would like to!

I need an accessible ticket for this event, but don't want to pay for the 3 year Nimbus card.

Just coming to the UK for the Dota?

Instead of paying the £15 fee + overseas postage for the 3 year Nimbus card+, you can register for free here just for AXS events like ESL One Birmingham, even as a visitor from abroad: https://app.accesscard.online/apply/axs/form/

Once you have your wristband, you’ll still be able to enter the DreamHack areas freely.

Accessibility

There is an accessible entrance to the side of the main entrance and there will be accessible seats for people with impaired mobility.

You can find more information on accessibility at the bp pulse LIVE website here: https://www.bppulselive.co.uk/accessibility

Arena FAQs

What items can I not bring into the event?

The list of prohibited items is as follows :

Any item which is intended, or can be adapted, to be used as a weapon, or compromise public safety

o   Controlled drugs which are held unlawfully

o   Food and drink, including alcohol*

o   Glass bottles, cans & flasks

o   Cool boxes and picnic hampers

o   Fake/replica/toy weapons

o   Professional cameras with detachable lenses

o   Video and/or audio recording equipment

o   Tripods

o   Selfie sticks

o   Laser pens

o   Helium balloons

o   Golf umbrellas

o   Large banners/flags

o   Smoke grenades, flares and fireworks

o   Studded belts, spiked dog collars, spiked wrist cuffs, trouser chains, sharp/large rings

o   Ipads and tablets

Can I leave and re-enter the arena?

We will provide you with wristbands upon first entry, and these will give you the opportunity to leave and re-enter the arena whenever you’d like throughout the entire event.

What language will the event be in?

The language of the event in the arena will be English. Additional language streams of the event will be available for people watching online.

Can I apply for a press pass?

Yes, at https://eslfaceitgroup.com/press/

I have a question that was not answered in this FAQ

If you still have more questions, please reach out to us via X @ESLDota2 or send an email to events@esl.com!

Quick overview

Last updated: 18th September, 2025