ESL FACEIT GROUP (EFG) announced Monday that it is partnering with Microsoft-owned Halo Studios to create off-season, competitive activations starting with the DreamHack Open Birmingham featuring Halo.
Financial terms of this new deal were not disclosed.
DreamHack will host grassroots open bracket tournaments at DreamHack Birmingham, aptly called the DreamHack Open Birmingham, featuring Halo. While specific details weren’t provided, EFG described the competition as featuring “a variety of Halo titles” and competitive formats including 4v4, 2v2, and free-for-all play. The total prize pool and other details will be announced at a later date.
“We are very excited to be continuing the legacy of Halo at DreamHack Birmingham next Spring,” ESL FACEIT Group’s Adam Apicella said in a release. “Halo has a very special place in gaming and esports history, and this program of tournaments at DreamHack Birmingham, coupled with the 25th Anniversary of Halo: Combat Evolved and Halo Fest, will make 2026 an incredibly memorable year for fans.”
Today’s announcement isn’t particularly shocking when you consider that DreamHack has hosted past Halo competitive events over the years, such as the Halo Championship Series, Halo 5, and MCC Pro Series.
This news follows Halo Studios’ announcement of Halo Fest, a three-day event that will run from Dec. 11 – 13, 2026, and offer two components: a concert and a convention. The concert will feature music from the Halo games, hosted at Benaroya Hall in Seattle, Washington, on Dec. 11, 2026. The actual convention will take place at the Seattle Convention Center (Summit Building) in Seattle from Dec. 12 – 13, 2026. Halo Fest is part of Microsoft’s celebration of all things Halo, and the game series’ celebrating its 25th anniversary in 2026. More details about Halo Fest can be found at www.halowaypoint.com.
DreamHack’s stop in Birmingham, along with the Dota 2 tournament ESL One Birmingham 2026, was announced in September. There have also been some reports suggesting that a Call of Duty League Major might take place during DreamHack Birmingham, but nothing has been formally announced as of this writing.
DreamHack Birmingham is set to take place March 27 – 29, 2026, at the National Exhibition Centre (NEC) in Marston Green, England. Tickets for DreamHack Birmingham are available now at dreamhack.com/birmingham.
DreamHack is a subsidiary of ESL FACEIT Group, which is owned by Savvy Games Group, a gaming and esports company wholly owned by the Saudi Arabian government’s sovereign wealth fund, the Public Investment Fund (PIF). Companies owned by the Saudi Arabian government are often accused of being used to “sports wash,” or obscure the country’s record of human rights abuses and the treatment of women and members of the LGBTQ+ community.