ESL One Summer 2021 will be the first non-DPC event of the year

Mike Tsang

Mike Tsang

ESL One Summer 2021 will see EU and CIS’s top teams duke it out for a $400,000 prize pool.

With the DPC Regional Leagues drawing to a close, and the WePlay AniMajor coming up, there's no shortage of action. For fans that are hungry for more Dota 2 though, ESL has got us covered.

ESL has just announced the ESL One Summer 2021, which will take place from June 16-20. A total of 12 teams will fight over a total prize-pool of $400,000. 11 of the 12 teams will be direct invites. The final slot will be decided through qualifiers that will begin in just a week from now.

The Open Qualifier sign-ups have begun, and will take place from 25-26 May. The closed qualifiers will take place immediately after from 27-28 May.

When did the last non-DPC tournament take place?

Before the start of the DPC 2021 Season, the last high-profile tournament was Epic League Season 2 - Division 1, which took place in December last year. The event boasted a $500,000 prize pool, and saw Virtus Pro defeat OG in an exciting grand finals to take the title.

Virtus Pro were the Champions for Epic League Season 2 Division 1 (image from Virtus Pro)
Virtus Pro were the Champions for Epic League Season 2 Division 1 (image from Virtus Pro)

What to expect from ESL One Summer 2021?

Similar to ESL One Germany 2020, this tournament will likely feature EU and CIS teams exclusively. According to the website for ESL One Summer 2021, more details will be announced in the coming weeks.

While the teams participating won't earn any DPC points, the hefty prize pool is nothing to scoff at. We can definitely expect to see the teams bring their 'A' game - which is good news for the fans.

With the way the CIS and EU DPCs have ended, it's clear that the overall competition is at an all time high. The ESL One Summer might also be the last event before The International that will take place in Stockholm, Sweden. The tournament organizer will release more details in the upcoming weeks.

For more updates about ESL One Summer 2021, and the latest Dota 2 news, stay tuned to esports.gg.