DreamHack Birmingham appears to have done exactly what organisers hoped: turn its UK debut into a sequel. The event has now been confirmed to return to the NEC in Birmingham from April 2 to April 4, 2027.
This year’s show reportedly brought in more than 54,000 visitors from 65 countries, with fans filling the venue to play games, watch esports, and soak up nearly $1.7 million (£1.3 million) in prize money across the weekend. For the British gaming scene, that is a meaningful result, especially with DreamHack helping to cover the gap left by the Insomnia Gaming Festival.
DreamHack Birmingham Delivered a Busy Esports Weekend
One of the main attractions was ESL One Birmingham’s Dota 2 tournament, where 16 of the world’s best teams battled for a $1 million (£749,000) prize pool.
Tundra emerged as the ESL One Birmingham champion, with British pro Matthew ‘Ari’ Walker celebrating the win in front of a very happy home crowd. Not a bad way to win a major event, especially when the people in the stands are already on your side.
At the same time, the Call of Duty League Major 2 drew another lively crowd. The atmosphere helped give the event a real lift and, according to those watching, reminded everyone that live esports still has a point beyond broadcast graphics and online shouting.
Adam Adamou, CEO of Toronto Koi’s parent company Overactive Media, said on social media that he was thrilled with how the event turned out and wrote:
“Hopefully it’s becoming obvious [to the CDL] that CoD is best in front of a live audience.”
He added:
“That’s the heart of this game as an esport. Think big. Increase to Eight Majors plus Champs. That means more games and a longer season. There’s no reason we need to end the season in June,”
The weekend ended with a familiar rivalry on stage as FaZe and OpTiC faced off, with FaZe Vegas winning CDL Major 2 and taking home the $150,000 (£114,000) grand prize.
There is also the possibility of more good news for British Call of Duty fans, with a CDL Champs return to Europe now on the cards.
