The battle for Asian eSports supremacy lands in Shanghai

Shanghai is hosting the climactic final stage of the Hero Esports Asian Champions League (ACL), Asia's premier international, multi-title eSports tournament, through this weekend.

The three-day event, which kicked off on Friday, underscores the city's strategic initiatives to establish itself as a global eSports hub, drive digital consumption, and attract a greater influx of international visitors.

Organized by Shanghai-based Hero Esports, the ACL Grand Finals will showcase intense competition across nine prominent game titles: Counter-Strike 2 (CS2), Dota 2, Honor of Kings, Street Fighter 6, The Legend Cup of League of Legends, Teamfight Tactics, VALORANT Champions Tour, Delta Force, and Crossfire.

This weekend's matchesl offer a substantial combined prize pool of US$2 million, alongside coveted direct qualification slots for the Esports World Cup (EWC).

The SPD Bank Oriental Sports Center, Jing'an Sports Center and the National Exhibition and Convention Center will be transformed into electrifying eSports arenas for the ACL Grand Finals. The event is projected to draw over 10,000 on-site fans daily, with a big portion traveling from abroad to witness the action.

Beyond the competitive gaming, the ACL is weaving eSports fervor into the fabric of Shanghai's culture. This integration is evident in initiatives ranging from specially themed metro lines to dedicated airliners transporting fans to the EWC.

Tickets to experience the event firsthand are available through Damai.cn (for residents in China) and the Tongcheng Travel app (for global attendees). On-site, attendees will have the opportunity to meet renowned rappers, bands, eSports stars, celebrities and content creators.

For those unable to attend in person, the thrilling matches will be broadcast live on various streaming platforms, including Twitch, TikTok, YouTube, CHZZK and SOOP.