Esports tournament organiser ESL FACEIT Group has selected Raleigh, North Carolina to host an ESL One Dota 2 event in 2025.
ESL One Raleigh will take place at the Raleigh Convention Centre from April 7th-13th 2025, and will form part of the ESL Pro Tour.
The event will see 12 teams competing for a share of a $1m (~£795,555) prize pool. Four of the teams will receive direct invitations while the remaining eight will earn a place through regional qualifiers taking place across Europe, China, the Middle East and North Africa, and the Americas.
According to a release, the N.C. Esports Incentive Grant Fund played ‘a major part’ in winning the city’s bid to host a Dota 2 event that’s part of the ESL One tournament circuit. The incentive aims to attract international esports events to North Carolina in addition to growing esports production within the state.
ESL FACEIT Group hosting a Dota 2 event in Raleigh is the first time an ESL One event has taken place in the United States since 2015, when the circuit held an event in New York. Outside of the MOBA title, the tournament organiser has continued to invest in its other esports ecosystems. In October 2024, it detailed $22m (~£16.8m) spending plans for its Counter-Strike ecosystem throughout 2025 and 2026.
The city of Raleigh is no stranger to hosting esports events. It has hosted competitions in Halo, Rainbow Six, Apex Legends, and League of Legends. A report from Riot Games stated that the 2023 LCS Spring Finals generated $2.74m (~£2.17m) of direct economic impact in the city.
Michael van Driel, Vice President of Game Ecosystems at ESL FACEIT Group, spoke on the news: “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.
“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.”
