China’s First Asian Champions League Signs Key Partners

Hero Esports, formerly known as VSPO, has secured a diverse roster of corporate partners for the inaugural Asian Champions League (ACL) and the concurrent DreamHack Shanghai event. This multi-title esports initiative, scheduled for May 2025 in Shanghai, represents a significant expansion of the regional competitive gaming landscape. The tournament features a total prize pool of ¥15 million RMB (approximately $2.04 million USD) and encompasses a wide array of titles, including Dota 2, Counter-Strike 2, League of Legends, Valorant, and Honor of Kings.

The partnership strategy involves a tiered structure of support across various sectors, including technology, consumer goods, and travel. 5E Play serves as the chief partner for the ACL, while strategic backing is provided by the Esports World Cup, Jinjiang International Holdings, and Shanghai Jiushi Group. Additional support comes from brands such as HONOR, POPEYES, Eastroc Super, and Alipay, among others. These collaborations underscore the commercial interest in large-scale, multi-title esports events within the Chinese market.

The events are slated to take place across three major venues in Shanghai: the Shanghai SPD Bank Oriental Sports Center, the Shanghai Jing’An Sports Center, and the Shanghai National Exhibition and Convention Center. By integrating DreamHack Shanghai into the broader ACL framework, the organizers are positioning the competition as a premier destination for both professional esports and broader gaming entertainment. This initiative marks the first time the DreamHack brand has hosted an event in China, signaling a strategic effort to bridge international esports standards with local market engagement.