HERO ESPORTS Asian Champions League CS2 Tournament Kicks Off in Yancheng Today as Top Teams Battle for Spot in Shanghai Grand Finals

YANCHENG, China, April 10, 2025 /PRNewswire/ -- The HERO ESPORTS Asian Champions League (ACL) CS2 Tournament enters its next thrilling phase today as eight rising teams advance to the Open Qualifier (China) Rookie Advanced Stage in Yancheng, China. After intense competition across 32 Chinese cities, the remaining squads—Change The Game, Exusiai, FiveHandsomeGuys, Gateron, PA BEER, Reverse Sweep Gaming, DK ESPORT, and TEAM XDM—will vie for a chance to join elite Asian rivals in the quest for a $300,000 prize pool and a ticket to the ACL Grand Finals 2025 in Shanghai.

Tournament Overview: High-Stakes Stages Ahead

From April 10 to May 11, the Yancheng International Convention & Exhibition Center will host three critical stages of the ACL x CS2 Tournament, combining grassroots talent with top-tier Asian teams. The event will welcome thousands of live spectators and broadcast globally on ACL official account on Twitch, YouTube, and TikTok.

Key Stages & Format

Open Qualifier (China) Rookie Advanced (April 10–13):
Eight teams face off in a double-elimination bracket (BO1/BO3), with five advancing to the Closed Qualifier (Asia). Closed Qualifier (Asia) (April 17–27):
The five qualifiers join 11 invited teams, including RA (China's sole representative at the Shanghai Major 2024) and Asia's top-ranked squads (CS2 Asia rankings 5–16). Sixteen teams compete in double-elimination groups (BO1/BO3), with four advancing. Playoffs (May 6–11):
Four qualifiers clash with invited powerhouses—TYLOO and LVG (China), FlyQuest (Australia), and The Huns (Mongolia)—in BO3 matches. Only two teams will secure a spot in the ACL Grand Finals 2025 on May 16 in Shanghai.

Star Commentary & Global Appeal

The English broadcast will feature top-tier talent, including Veracity, TeaTime, YouM3, and Ne0kai, offering expert analysis for international audiences.

Jonny Wang, CEO of ACL, said: "With the participation of internationally renowned CS2 teams, the competition of the ACL x CS2 Tournament is sure to intensify in the following stages. The anticipation is palpable as we await to see which teams will secure their places in the ACL Grand Finals 2025."

Danny Tang, Co-Founder and CEO of Hero Esports, remarked: " ACL bridges grassroots talent and established esports dynasties. This is where future stars are born—and where legends solidify their legacy."

It's also worth mentioning that the Champion of the ACL x CS2 Tournament will also gain direct entry to the Esports World Cup 2025, which stands as the world's largest esports competition, boasting the largest prize pool in esports history which exceeds $60 million in 2024.

About the HERO ESPORTS Asian Champions League

The HERO ESPORTS Asian Champions League (ACL) is currently the premier and largest international multi-title esports event in Asia. Hosted by leading esports company Hero Esports, the tournament boasts a total prize pool of $2 million. This year, the inaugural ACL features nine premier esports titles, including Counter-Strike 2, Dota 2, Honor of Kings, Street Fighter 6, The Legend Cup of League of Legends, Teamfight Tactics, VALORANT Champions Tour, Delta Force and Crossfire.

The ACL Grand Finals 2025 (May 16–18, Shanghai) will partner with DreamHack, uniting elite players, gaming tech, and fans. Selected ACL winners will earn direct entry to the Esports World Cup in Riyadh, Saudi Arabia—the largest esports event in history.

For more info, please check ACL official website: https://esportsacl.com/home

For media inquiries, please contact:
ACL PR Team | aclpr@heroesports.com