DreamHack Birmingham 2027

DreamHack is back at the NEC from 2 to 4 April 2027, returning to Birmingham after its 2026 debut. That first run set a high bar: over 54,000 fans from 65 countries turned up, the biggest turnout in the festival's 32-year global history. This time around, the Call of Duty scene takes centre stage, with the Call of Duty League Major II LAN tournament as the main event and Call of Duty: Modern Warfare 4 as the central title. Around it, there's a Pro-Am competition and a Challengers Open, with qualifying tournaments running throughout March 2027 to build up to the weekend.

DreamHack describes itself as the world's premier gaming lifestyle festival, a gathering where gamers from all walks of life unite under one roof, driven by a passion for pixels. The Birmingham stop sits within a wider festival environment of cosplay competitions, indie games, and creator showcases. The organisers, ESL FACEIT Group, view it as a new gold standard for the UK gaming scene.

For the people running it, the appeal isn't just about the competition or the leaderboards. They talk about the moments that stick with you, where casual fans and elite pros stand side by side. That's the core of the thing: the competitive side of the event—the Major II, the Pro-Am, the Challengers Open—running alongside the more relaxed side, the cosplay, the indie games and the creator showcases. It's a few days of gaming in the city, from the top-tier tournament down to the casual side of the hall. The main event runs from 2 to 4 April at the NEC.