Hero Esports, formerly VSPO, announced that the 2026 Asian Champions League (ACL) generated more than 380 million total play views and nearly 23 million watched across Dota 2, Counter-Strike 2, and Mobile Legends: Bang Bang.
The second edition of the event ran from May 1 to May 24 in Shanghai, with offline competition staged at Jixi Showground in Yangpu District and the Star Ring Center in Minhang District. The tournament included eight offline match days and 18 online broadcast days, according to Hero Esports. The event was broadcast in multiple languages across five Chinese live streaming platforms: Bilibili, Douyin, DouYu, Huya, and Kuaishou.
ACL also served as a qualification pathway to the 2026 Esports World Cup, which will take place from July to August in Paris, France. Vici Gaming won the Dota 2 competition, LVG (Lynn Vision Gaming) won the Counter-Strike 2 competition, GZG (Guangzhou Gaming) won the Mobile Legends: Bang Bang competition, with all three teams securing places in their respective EWC-linked competitions.
Hero Esports also emphasized the commercial and venue ecosystem around the tournament. The event’s strategic partners included the Esports World Cup, Chinese travel services company Jinjiang International Group, e-commerce platform Jing Dong, gaming chair brand AutoFull, and hardware brand ZOWIE. Xuperman served as the event’s designated apparel partner, while Red Bull was named the functional beverage partner.
Jinjiang International Group provided support across hotel accommodation, local transport, and travel booking services, according to the announcement. Hero Esports also said the event included offline brand activations, including a visit by some domestic and international players to an Xuperman retail location in Shanghai for a table-tennis-themed experience.
For Hero Esports, the figures position ACL as a multi-title regional event property designed to connect Asian esports audiences, teams, and commercial partners with the broader Esports World Cup ecosystem. The company framed the event as part of a broader “culture, commerce, tourism, and exhibitions” model around live esports in Shanghai.