The upcoming BLAST Open London Counter-Strike 2 event is set to be the UK’s biggest esports event of 2025 and will reportedly generate an estimated £30m in economic impact.
Ahead of the event taking place at OVO Arena Wembley from September 5th to 7th, the Mayor of London, Sadiq Khan, has spoken on the impact of esports within the UK.
BLAST Open London will see six teams competing for a share of a $1m (~£747,035) prize pool and valuable Valve Regional Standings (VRS) points that help determine which teams earn a place at the StarLadder Budapest Major in November.
The event is one of several tournaments BLAST has hosted in the UK in recent years. In addition to Open London, it hosted BLAST Premier Spring Final 2024 at Wembley Arena.
Wembley Arena has played host to Counter-Strike events dating back to 2017, where the Esports Championship Series (ECS) Season 3 Finals took place with SK Gaming taking victory.
Speaking about the event, Sadiq Khan, said: “I am delighted to see the prestigious BLAST Premier London Open come to the capital this weekend. It will showcase the very best of esports as gamers and fans from across the globe flock to London, creating a significant estimated £30 million economic boost for our city.
“London is a leading destination for esports – a hugely exciting and fast-growing industry – and I will continue to work hard to support its growth in the capital.”
Is London The UK’s Esports Capital?
London continues to cement itself as a popular destination for tournament organisers to host esports events.
Alongside Counter-Strike, the city has hosted Rocket League and Call of Duty tournaments in addition to the League of Legends World Championship Final, the latter of which generated £12m to the London economy.
With several of the world’s biggest tournaments choosing to host events in the city, London remains an attractive option for organisers looking for a location equipped with the infrastructure to operate esports tournaments.
