Asia’s Premier Multi-Game Championship Unites Nine Esports Titles Across Three Iconic Shanghai Venues This May
SHANGHAI, April 24, 2025 /PRNewswire/ — The HERO ESPORTS Asian Champions League (ACL), Asia’s most prestigious multi-title esports tournament organized by Hero Esports, an industry leader and the largest esports company in Asia, has announced its championship venues for the ACL Grand Finals 2025 taking place May 16-18 in Shanghai. The landmark event will transform three of the city’s most iconic venues into battlegrounds for nine premier esports titles, cementing Shanghai’s status as the global esports capital.
The tournament is expected to attract 80,000+ live attendees across three venues, with global broadcasts reaching millions via Twitch, YouTube, and TikTok. Participating teams will be competing for a total prize pool of $2 million. Selected ACL winners will earn direct entry to the Esports World Cup in Riyadh, Saudi Arabia—the largest esports event in history due to take place from July to August.
Venue and Event Lineup
1. SPD Bank Oriental Sports Center (Esports Coliseum)
– ACL Grand Finals 2025 X CS2
– ACL Grand Finals 2025 X HOK
– ACL Grand Finals 2025 X League of Legends Legend Cup S3
2. JING’AN SPORTS CENTER (Tactical Esports Arena)
– ACL Grand Finals 2025 X Valorant Champions Tour
– ACL Grand Finals 2025 X CrossFire
3. National Exhibition and Convention Center (Global Gaming Festival Hub)
– ACL Grand Finals 2025 X DOTA2
– ACL Grand Finals 2025 X Street Fighter 6
– ACL Grand Finals 2025 X Teamfight Tactics
– ACL Grand Finals 2025 X Delta Force
Event Highlights
DreamHack’s China Debut: The world’s largest gaming festival joins forces with ACL, delivering an unprecedented fusion of esports, music (electronic/rap), and interactive gaming culture experiences.
Path to Glory: Top performers will secure direct qualification to the 2025 Esports World Cup (EWC) in Riyadh – esports’ richest tournament with historic prize pools.
Asia’s Defining Moment: Over 80,000+ live attendees expected across three venues, with global broadcasts reaching millions via Twitch, YouTube, and TikTok.
Executive Insights
“Shanghai’s selection as our host city reflects its unmatched esports infrastructure and passionate community,” said Jonny Wang, ACL CEO. “By combining elite competition with DreamHack’s festival energy, we’re creating a new blueprint for global esports events.”
“This is Hero Esports’ most ambitious project to date,” added Danny Tang, Co-Founder & CEO of Hero Esports. “The ACL bridges Asian talents with the world stage while delivering unforgettable fan experiences through cutting-edge production.”
About the HERO ESPORTS Asian Champions League
The HERO ESPORTS Asian Champions League (ACL) is currently the premier and largest international multi-title esports event in Asia. Hosted by leading esports company Hero Esports, the tournament boasts a total prize pool of $2 million. This year, the inaugural ACL features nine premier esports titles, including Counter-Strike 2, Dota 2, Honor of Kings, Street Fighter 6, League of Legends Legend Cup S3, Teamfight Tactics, VALORANT Champions Tour, Delta Force and CrossFire.
The ACL Grand Finals 2025 (May 16–18, Shanghai) will partner with DreamHack, uniting elite players, gaming tech, and fans. Selected ACL winners will earn direct entry to the Esports World Cup in Riyadh, Saudi Arabia—the largest esports event in history.
For more info, please check ACL official website: https://esportsacl.com/home
About Hero Esports
Founded in 2016, Hero Esports is the biggest esports company in Asia, producing more than 7,000 matches every year that captivate an online fan base of over 800 million. With a global presence encompassing 12 office locations and eight top-tier esports arenas, Hero Esports offers a comprehensive suite of esports services, including tournament organization, marketing solutions, community development, and more. As a private company, Hero Esports counts Savvy Games Group and Tencent, among others, as investors, with Kuaishou and Huya as strategic partners.
Headquartered in Shanghai and employing more than 1,100 employees, Hero Esports is a fully integrated operator of esports tournaments and creator of esports content with global reach. The company has helped produce many prestigious tournaments including the Olympic Esports Week, the Esports World Cup as well as the esports series featured at both the Jakarta Asian Games 2018 and the Hangzhou Asian Games 2023. Hero Esports also worked with the world’s top-tier game publishers such as Tencent and Krafton in organizing popular esports leagues such as the Honor of Kings’ KPL series and PUBG’s PGC series, among many others. In 2024, Hero Esports launched Esports Asian Champions League (ACL), Asia’s premier international, multi-title esports tournament. Hero Esports is a member of the Esports Integrity Commission (ESIC).
www.heroesports.com
