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ESL One Birmingham powered by Intel(r), reached its zenith tonight with Team Falcons securing the title in an exciting Grand Final match at Resorts World Arena Birmingham. Team Falcons defeated fierce rivals BetBoom Team to win the Grand Final, and etch their name into esports’ history.
The Falcons’ run was near-flawless, as they won Group A without losing a single series. Despite a minor stumble against Tundra Esports, Team Falcons swept through the lower bracket, defeating Team Liquid, OG and finally Tundra Esports, in the Lower Bracket final. Team Falcons won $300,000 and 6,400 EPT points for their outstanding performance. They also took home the trophy.
Team Falcons has now confirmed their place at Riyadh Masters during the Esports World Cup summer 2024.
ESL One, the biggest Dota 2 event Europe has seen in six years, captivated viewers worldwide. The tournament’s final three days saw over 18,000 fans attend the Resorts World Arena, Birmingham.
Group Stage
The tournament returned to Birmingham in a big way on April 22, with the Group Stage. Twelve of the world’s top teams were divided into two groups, each consisting of six players.
Team Falcons, the DreamLeague Season 22 Champions, went unbeaten in Group A and won it. BetBoom Team finished a close second. Team Liquid, G2.iG, and BetBoom Team were third and fourth, respectively. Team Liquid was also unbeaten.
In Group B local UK hero Matthew ‘Ari’ Walker finished first with his OG team, while fellow UK team Tundra Esports came in second. Xtreme Gaming, HEROIC and HEROIC have qualified for the Lower Bracket.
Playoffs
The UK’s Tundra Esports beat Team Falcons in the Upper Bracket first match to earn their place in the Upper Bracket final against BetBoom Team. OG was knocked to the Lower Bracket.
Team Liquid and HEROIC faced off in a tense game at Resorts World Arena. HEROIC was the first team eliminated from the Playoffs. G2xiG fought their way to victory against Xtreme Gaming in the late afternoon. The series lasted nearly three hours and was one of the longest in the competition. Team Liquid lost their momentum after winning earlier in the day. Team Falcons won the match by a score of 2-1.
Ari, a local hero, returned to the stage for the first match of Saturday as OG faced G2.iG. OG won the Lower Bracket semi-final with the first 2-0 win in the Playoff Stage. BetBoom Team took on Tundra Esports in a battle for a place in the Grand Final. They dominated their opponents to secure their spot. Tundra’s Lower Bracket Final opponents were determined in the next game, when OG lost 2-1 to a rampant Team Falcons, despite a valiant effort.
Team Falcons swept Tundra Esports with a 2-0 win in the Lower Bracket Final. This set the stage for the blockbuster final against BetBoom Team.
Grand Final
Both teams, Team Falcons and BetBoom Team, were able to eliminate some of the world’s best organisations by sweeping aside their opponents in the previous round. Last time they met, the match ended in a 1-1 tie. But at DreamLeague Season 22, Team Falcons swept BetBoom Team 3-0, and left them craving revenge.
After a rough start in the Grand final, Team Falcons rallied quickly to eliminate BetBoom Team’s chances to score first. Team Falcons carried on this winning streak into the second match, and despite a few early setbacks they were able to defeat BetBoom Team, increasing their lead to two goals.
Team Falcons continued their dominance in the third match, beating BetBoom Team to maintain their near-perfect start to 2024.
Wu ‘Sneyking Jingjun’ from Team Falcons said, “We are super happy with the win. We’ve worked so hard this year and our performances really show it.” The fans were fantastic, and we are looking forward to what else this team can achieve in the coming year.
Shane Clarke said, “It’s been a great experience to be back at Birmingham where we began our journey with British Dota six years ago.” Shane Clarke is the Director of Game Ecosystems, Dota 2 The community in Birmingham is one of most passionate, loyal and dedicated to the scene. It is always a great experience to see the historical moments and the energy of the crowd as they cheer on their favorite teams and players. Birmingham has a special place for us, and we’re grateful to once again be a part the Dota 2 legacy.
Qiddiya Cosplay Display
The Qiddiya Cosplay Showcase was held during the ESL One Birmingham event to celebrate the creativity of the Birmingham community. Cosplayers brought Dota 2 characters from all over the world to life. The event was filled with excitement, as cosplayers added an extra layer to the spectacle.
DreamLeague Season 23 will take place on May 20-26, and fans of Dota 2 can expect to see more high-level competition. The ESL Pro Tour Dota 2 is scheduled to continue in the near future.
