DreamHack returning to Atlanta with biggest festival in 2026

DreamHack announced that it is returning to Atlanta in 2026 with a festival that will include major tournaments for CS2, Call of Duty League and Halo.

The festival will take place at Atlanta's Georgia World Congress Center from May 15-17, 2026. Atlanta will play host to its first Call of Duty League Major, with the festival also featuring the first Intel Extreme Masters (IEM) Atlanta.

The announcement came on the heels of nearly 40,000 fan attending DreamHack Atlanta 2025, which was the seventh time the city had played host to the event.

"DreamHack Atlanta 2026 will be our biggest festival in history -- a flagship celebration of competition, creation, and community that represents everything gaming stands for, all under one roof," said Shahin Zarrabi, VP, Festivals, ESL FACEIT Group. "Atlanta has truly become home for DreamHack in America -- a city with unstoppable momentum in esports, culture, and live events. With IEM, CDL Major III, and our largest festival weekend yet, Atlanta is going to experience the most unforgettable event in gaming and esports."

DreamHack Atlanta 2026 is slated to be the organizer's biggest festival to date with the CS2 and Call of Duty League majors being joined by several tournaments across other titles.

"Bringing a world-class Counter-Strike tournament like Intel Extreme Masters to Atlanta is a significant moment for esports in the Southeast U.S," said Marc Winther, Director Esports - Counter-Strike, ESL FACEIT Group. "We know how passionate Atlanta's gaming community is, and we're excited to bring back the top tier competition to a city with such a rich history. Hosting IEM at DreamHack will make for an unforgettable weekend of elite competition and festival energy."

--Field Level Media