Hero Esports, formerly VSPO, has announced the second edition of the Asian Champions League (ACL), which will return to Shanghai from May 1-24. The company said the 2026 event will feature Dota 2, Counter-Strike 2, and Mobile Legends: Bang Bang, with a combined prize pool of $365K. The event will also serve as a pathway to the 2026 Esports World Cup (EWC) across all three titles.
In Dota 2, ACL’s offline playoffs will run from May 1-3 and carry a $90K prize pool, along with one direct qualification slot to EWC. Four Chinese teams — XG, YG, VG, and Refuser — will compete in the tournament. Because XG has already qualified for EWC, that slot would instead pass to the runner-up if XG wins the ACL event.
The CS2 competition will feature a $150K prize pool and one qualifying spot for EWC.
For MLBB, teams from China, Japan, South Korea, and Mongolia will compete for a $125K prize pool. The tournament will award one direct slot and three wildcard berths to the EWC MLBB competition.
On the commercial side, gaming chair brand AutoFull and hardware brand ZOWIE have signed strategic agreements with ACL and will provide professional esports furniture and equipment for the event. Jin Jiang International Group will continue its partnership with ACL to support player and team logistics, including accommodation, transportation, shuttle services, and catering.