The Top 10 Biggest Esports Tournaments You Can't Miss in 2024
2024 will be a landmark year for esports, with several monster tournaments that will see elite players battle it out for millions in prize money and bragging rights. Watch the best compete and pick up tips and hints on improving your gaming skills.
1. League of Legends World's Championship 2024
London prepares for esports royalty as Riot Games' League of Legends (LoL) World Championship heads to The O2 arena in 2024. With its vast 15,000-seat capacity, expect a rock concert-like atmosphere for LoL's competitive crown jewel. After the successful 2023 Mid-Season Invitational, London now lands the World Final for the first time, solidifying its status as Europe's esports mecca.
The 2023 World Championship had over 6 million simultaneous viewers, 146 million hours watched, and a $2.25 million prize pool. This November will allow UK fans to witness the planet's top LoL talent wage battle in their backyard.
Follow the official news for more details as they come to hand and prepare for a climax to the 2024 season that ushers competitive gaming into UK primetime.
League of Legends Worlds details:
- Date: November 2, 2024
- Location: London, England
- URL: https://lolesports.com/
2. Dota 2: The International
Esports fans are buzzing with anticipation as details emerge for The International 2024, the upcoming Dota 2 tournament. While specifics are sparse, it will be awe-inspiring if last year's record-smashing event is any indicator. The 2023 event drew 1.4 million peak viewers, with over 65 million hours watched and a massive $3.3 million prize pool.
Beyond the competitive gameplay, Valve introduced in-game changes like eliminating the Battle Pass while promising more tournaments - with up to 10 LAN events.
Keep following official news to find the details as soon as they are released. Else, watch their Twitch channel for all the action.
Dota 2 The International details:
- Date: Autumn 2024
- Location: TBC
- URL: https://www.dota2.com/news
3. Valorant Champions Tour (VCT)
The Valorant Champions Tour (VCT) 2024 will reshape esports by creating intense global competition. The fourth circuit by Riot Games revealed that the VCT 2024 Masters tournament will be held in Shanghai, marking China's first international Valorant event.
The 2023 Valorant Champions had over $2 million in prize money, 53 million hours watched, and a peak viewership of 1.29 million.
2024 has dual events to attract more players and fans:
- 2024 Masters Madrid (March)
- 2024 Masters Shanghai (May)
The 2024 season unfolds in three tiers, starting in January and climaxing with the finals sometime in Autumn. New policies provide more flexibility to develop talent with player trading or loaning between teams.
Valorant Champions Tours details:
- Date: Aug 01, 2024
- Location: TBC
- URL: https://valorantesports.com/schedule
4. Fortnite Champion Series (FNCS) - 2024
Get ready for intense Fortnite action - the massive Fortnite Champion Series (FNCS) will make its electrifying return in early 2024.
Though specifics are still under wraps until January, last year's FNCS delivers insight into what awaits. The 2023 tournament boasted a $4 million prize pool. It brought in 6 million viewing hours through pulse-pounding matches that captivated global audiences.
Expect this year's edition to deliver all that and more. If prior installments are any indication, 2024's competition should feature jaw-dropping plays across a series of weekly open qualifiers and finals. Fortnite duo partners best start strategizing now before FNCS kicks into high gear.
Fortnite Champion Series details:
- Date: TBC
- Location: TBC
- URL: https://fortnitetracker.com/events
5. Apex Legends Global Series
Apex Legends Global Series (ALGS) viewership hit new heights in 2023, priming for even greater things in 2024.
The average audience size jumped to 130,383, up 13% year-over-year. Total watch time soared to over 47.9 million hours, a 22% increase.
As ALGS expands to 30 teams, with 22 direct invites and 8 preseason qualifiers to each regional Pro League, expect playoff intensity. $500,000 is up for grabs in each split for teams vying to qualify.
Open registration Battlefy tournaments kick off on February 3, where hungry teams will compete for 18 additional Pro League slots in the April Split 2 qualifiers.
The best awaits with the $2 million World Championship finals that will eventually crown the top squad on the planet. Apex Legends fans are in for one wild ride this year.
Apex Legends Global Series details:
- Date: ALGS Pro League returns January 20-21, 2024. Challenger Circuit TBC.
- Location: TBC
- URL: https://www.ea.com/games/apex-legends/compete
6. Counter-Strike 2 Major Championships
With the return of the PGL Major Copenhagen 2024 Counter-Strike 2 (CS2) tournament, the esports world is abuzz with the switch from CS:GO. With 2023's 1.5 million peak audience, the high-stakes event lands in Denmark's Royal Arena on March 21-31 with a $1.25 million prize pool.
16 elite CS2 teams from regional qualifiers will compete, battling to cement their squad as the top tactical FPS team on the planet. Featuring veteran stars and rising phenoms, expect advanced strategies and tactics.
As the most coveted CS:GO circuit trophy, the Major crowns a new champion each year in dramatic fashion. By gathering the best of the best, PGL Copenhagen promises unmatched skill and thrills poised to kick off an electrifying 2024 season.
Counter-Strike 2 Major Championships details:
- Date: 21 – 31 March 2024, with ongoing championships until December 2024.
- Location: Royal Arena, Copenhagen, Denmark
- URL: https://www.counter-strike.net/cs2
7. Rainbow Six Siege Invitational
Rainbow Six Siege history will be made in 2024 as the Six Invitational lands in Brazil for the first time. São Paulo's iconic Ginásio do Ibirapuera will host the event from February 13-25, providing a fitting stage for this year's World Champions.
As Siege's most renowned tournament, the Six Invitational brings together the top 20 teams to battle for a $3 million prize pool. The 2023 event drew over 13 million viewer hours and a peak audience of 232,287. With 12 months of intense competition culminating at this pinnacle event, the two-week showdown in São Paulo promises blistering action.
After the regional group and playoff stages, the Six Invitational 2024 will open its doors to the public. Expect a thrilling display of top-class Siege with so much on the line.
Rainbow Six Siege Invitational details:
- Dates: 13 – 21 February (playoffs, not open to public), 23 – 25 February (playoffs open to public)
- Location: Ginásio do Ibirapuera, São Paulo, Brazil
- URL: https://www.ubisoft.com/en-us/esports/rainbow-six/siege
8. Evolution (Evo) Championship Series
Fighting game fanatics are already readying for intense Evolution (Evo) tournament action set across two major events in 2024. Evo Japan will ignite first, with registrations now open to competitors. Coming off Evo 2023's Street Fighter, with a peak audience of almost 450,000, 2024 will be massive.
Then attention shifts stateside for the Evo Championship Series in Las Vegas from July 19-21. At a still unannounced new venue, the event expands to a fourth day precisely for extra convention activities and stakes higher than ever.
With timing tweaks made, all signs point to Evo raising the bar again. Coming off a 2023 event that awarded $70,600 in prizes, Evo continues to showcase the dedication and incredible skills of the world's top combatants.
Stay tuned on Evo's X account for more event specifics. Still, one thing is sure - the hype is already building rapidly for the fighting game tournament series that never fails to deliver jaw-dropping moments.
Evo Championship Series details:
- Dates: Evo Japan: 27 – 29 April and Evo USA: 18-21 July
- Location: Ariake GYM-EX, Tokyo, Japan, and TBC Las Vegas, USA.
- URL: https://www.evo.gg/
9. Intel Extreme Masters
In its 19th year, Intel® Extreme Masters (IEM) is arguably esports' most storied tournament. With a legacy reaching 29.5 million hours viewed last year, the long-running global series will surely attract worldwide attention. Predator is an official partner of the event.
Kicking off at Poland's Spodek Arena in February, the five-event tour will feature $1 million total prize pools fueling some of gaming's biggest stars. Since pioneering global tours in 2006, IEM has continually pushed esports into the mainstream through world-class gameplay.
Another year of intense matchups is imminent - when Katowice's lights flare on, expect clashing gaming titans all vying for IEM's coveted elite status.
Intel Extreme Masters (IEM) details:
- Dates: 9 – 11 February, April 12 – 14, May 31 – June 2, August 16 – 18, October 11 – 13, and TBC for the Grand Slam IV.
- Location: Poland, China, Dallas, Cologne and TBC
- URL: https://intelextrememasters.com/
10. Rocket League World Championship
The elite rocket-powered car soccer circuit is fueling up for even higher stakes later this year. After the record-setting 2023 Rocket League World Championship drew over 600,000 viewer hours and 41,000 peak live audience, organizers hinted that 2024 will bring more groundbreaking announcements.
Rocket League teased via its September statement that official details about the 2024 global finals are imminent. With the competition level reaching unfathomable new heights, there is tremendous anticipation around plans for the clash between the planet's top Rocket League athletes.
From collegiate to professional divisions, the game's gravity-defying gameplay never fails to amass millions of eyeballs when the best teams assemble. The 2023 Collegiate Rocket League World Championship alone offered a $75,000 prize pool to underscore the growth of this niche esport.
Beyond the main event, 2024 will also see community-run tournaments with open qualifiers, giving players chances to compete against top-tier talent. With so many chances to participate and watch high-level play, Rocket League continues to build fans. Stay tuned to their official news website for more info on the majors ahead, as the road to the World Championship promises elite action across the board.
Rocket League World Championship details
- Dates: TBC.
- Location: TBC
- URL: https://www.rocketleague.com/news/
Whatever your favorite game is, no matter where you live, you can see stunning game-playing at the events listed here. Ensure to follow the official websites and socials to find out when they are on and how to watch or attend in person.
Robert is a Taiwan-based writer and digital marketer at iamrobert design. He has a passion for helping people simplify their lives through tech.
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