ESL FACEIT Group (EFG) has announced that ESL One, its flagship Dota 2 tournament series, will head to Munich, Germany, from April 4th to 11th 2027, with 16 teams competing for a $1,000,000 prize pool.
According to a release, the main event runs live from April 9th to 11th at BMW Park in Munich. EFG called the prize pool the largest of the ESL Pro Tour season. Ticket sales, broadcast schedules and local fan events will be announced in the coming months.
Dota 2 is Valve's multiplayer online battle arena (MOBA) game, in which two teams of five fight to destroy each other's base. The ESL Pro Tour is EFG's season-long circuit of tournaments.
The release billed ESL One Munich as the premier midseason event on the Dota 2 calendar. It is also a key qualifier on the road to the Esports World Cup (EWC) 2027. EFG said the series ranks second only to the world championship.
LED floors at BMW Park
BMW Park will be fitted with interactive LED flooring for the event. According to the release, the setup is meant to offer ‘fan-first live audience engagement’ for thousands of attendees on site, with millions more watching online. EFG said ESL One is broadcast in over 15 languages on more than 60 channels.
“ESL One has a long history of bringing the world’s best Dota 2 teams and fans together, and we’re excited to add Munich to that legacy,” said Tobias Fjellander, Senior Product Manager, Dota 2 at ESL FACEIT Group. Fjellander added that the event follows ‘a fantastic ESL One Birmingham’ earlier this year. The team wants to build on that momentum.
Munich and Bavaria back the event
Dr. Fabian Mehring, Bavarian State Minister for Digital Affairs, said: “In April 2027, Munich will become the beating heart of the global Dota 2 community. We’re thrilled to welcome ESL One and the world’s top teams to Bavaria!” He called Bavaria Germany’s leading games hub. The state, he said, supports esports clubs and major events.
Dr. Christian Scharpf, Head of the Department of Labor and Economic Development for the City of Munich, also welcomed the tournament. “This is esports at its best: world-class players competing live in front of an audience at the BMW Park,” he said. Fans can cheer on teams at the venue or follow along by livestream.
EFG describes itself as the leading esports and video game entertainment company. The group is built on the ESL, FACEIT and DreamHack brands. Updates on ESL One Munich will be posted on the official ESL One site and the ESL Dota 2 account on X (formerly Twitter).
The following was sent as a press release to Inven Global.
