The Event Will Mark the First Return of ESL One to the United States in More Than Six Years

Raleigh, N.C. (Nov. 26, 2024) – The Greater Raleigh Convention and Visitors Bureau (Visit Raleigh) and the Greater Raleigh Esports Local Organizing Committee (GRELOC) are proud to announce that ESL FACEIT Group (EFG) has selected Raleigh, N.C., to host ESL One Raleigh 2025 esports tournament at the Raleigh Convention Center in downtown Raleigh, April 7-13, 2025.

The event is expected to attract tens of thousands of global fans and showcase the best Dota 2 players from around the world. The competition will be streamed live on Twitch and YouTube to millions of global viewers and offer a $1 million prize pool. The 12 teams competing in ESL One Raleigh include four directly invited teams as well as eight teams who earned their spots through regional qualifiers hosted in Western Europe, Eastern Europe, China, the Middle East, North Africa (MENA), North America and South America.

"We are thrilled that Raleigh was selected to host ESL One’s 2025 global tournament," said Loren Gold, executive vice president of Visit Raleigh. "Our continued efforts to elevate the destination’s world-class esports hosting capabilities is evident from being selected to host ESL One’s return to the United States after being held in Bangkok, the UK and Kuala Lumpur in recent years. It is a tremendous honor and a great source of pride for our area. We look forward to welcoming thousands of people from the global esports community, competitors and fans to Raleigh and showcasing our great destination to millions more globally through live stream broadcasts.”

Dota 2, developed by Valve Corporation, is a Real-Time Strategy (RTS)-styled Multiplay Online Battle Arena (MOBA)-type competitive team game with Role Playing Game (RPG) elements. Two competing teams – Radiant and Dire – consist of five players each. The main objective in Dota 2 is to destroy the enemy “Ancient” inside their stronghold.

Once again, the N.C. Esports Incentive Grant Fund, championed by Representative Jason Saine and incorporated into the State’s budget by Governor Roy Cooper in November of 2021, played a major part in winning the bid to host the ESL One Raleigh 2025 event. The program continues to help attract events to North Carolina from all corners of our region and the world. These major esports events have supported hundreds of jobs and injected millions of dollars into the local and state economies. The program has also contributed to the recognition of Greater Raleigh becoming a Top 5 Global Destination to host major esports events according to a recent report published by PLAYHRDR Advisors.

It has been a long time since we’ve hosted an ESL One event in the United States, and we’ve been looking for the right opportunity,” said Michael Van Driel, vice president, game ecosystems with ESL FACEIT Group. “We’re very excited to be back in the US and certain that Raleigh will be a world-class destination to welcome the Dota 2 community as we find our next ESL One Champion.”

About ESL: 
ESL creates a world where everybody can be somebody. For more than two decades, we have been shaping the industry and leading esports and gaming innovation globally across the most popular video games, creating a comprehensive ecosystem with opportunities for players to go from zero to hero and for fans to witness the best stories esports has to offer. The ESL portfolio consists of high-profile products such as the ESL Pro Tour, Intel® Extreme Masters, the Snapdragon Pro Series, and many more, ranging from grassroots to global elite competitions. ESL is part of ESL FACEIT Group, the leading esports and video game entertainment company.

About ESL FACEIT Group: 
ESL FACEIT Group (EFG) is the leading esports and video game entertainment company dedicated to creating worlds beyond gameplay where players and fans become community. EFG is built on a legacy of world-renowned brands including ESL, FACEIT, DreamHack and DreamHack Sports Games, providing innovative ecosystems for global communities of players, fans and creators around the games they love. Working alongside leading partners, brands and global IPs, EFG operates an unmatched portfolio of live events, digital platforms and developer tools that reach and engage millions of gamers worldwide. For more information, visit www.eslfaceitgroup.com

About the Greater Raleigh Convention and Visitors Bureau (Visit Raleigh):
As the official destination marketing organization for Wake County, Visit Raleigh is responsible for promoting Wake County as an attractive travel destination and enhancing its public image as a dynamic place to live and work. Through the impact of travel, the organization strengthens the industry and community's economic position and provides opportunities for people throughout Wake County. Raleigh, N.C./Wake County welcomes 18.5 million visitors annually, whose spending tops $3.2 billion. The visitor economy supports nearly 26,000 local jobs in Wake County and generates $307 million in state and local tax revenues, saving each Wake County household $712 in taxes annually. visitRaleigh.com

About the Greater Raleigh Esports Local Organizing Committee (GRELOC): 
The Greater Raleigh Esports Local Organizing Committee (GRELOC) is made up of the City of Raleigh, Greater Raleigh Convention and Visitors Bureau (Visit Raleigh), the Greater Raleigh Sports Alliance and PLAYHRDR Advisors. With esports and gaming being strong fabrics of our local community for decades, the LOC is dedicated to attracting local and global competitive video gaming events to the Greater Raleigh area. In addition to promoting Raleigh’s many world-class, esports-ready facilities and modern infrastructure, the LOC is positioned to offer leagues, publishers, event organizers and communities that host their events in the Greater Raleigh area with operational, promotional and measured economic support. 

Media Contacts: 
ESL FACEIT Group
Sarah Alharbi
press@efg.gg

Dana Goodwin
Visit Raleigh
dgoodwin@visitRaleigh.com

# # #