jats:titleAjats:scbstract</jats:sc> </jats:title>jats:pExclusive production of dielectron pairs, jats:italicγγ</jats:italic> → jats:italice</jats:italic>jats:sup+</jats:sup>jats:italice</jats:italic>jats:supjats:italic−</jats:italic></jats:sup>, is studied using jats:inline-formulajats:alternativesjats:tex-math$$ {\mathcal{L}}{\textrm{int}} $$</jats:tex-math><mml:math xmlns:mml="http://www.w3.org/1998/Math/MathML"> mml:msub mml:miL</mml:mi> mml:miint</mml:mi> </mml:msub> </mml:math></jats:alternatives></jats:inline-formula> = 1jats:italic.</jats:italic>72 nbjats:supjats:italic−</jats:italic>1</jats:sup> of data from ultraperipheral collisions of lead nuclei at jats:inline-formulajats:alternativesjats:tex-math$$ \sqrt{s{\textrm{NN}}} $$</jats:tex-math><mml:math xmlns:mml="http://www.w3.org/1998/Math/MathML"> mml:msqrt mml:msub mml:mis</mml:mi> mml:miNN</mml:mi> </mml:msub> </mml:msqrt> </mml:math></jats:alternatives></jats:inline-formula> = 5jats:italic.</jats:italic>02 TeV recorded by the ATLAS detector at the LHC. The process of interest proceeds via photon–photon interactions in the strong electromagnetic fields of relativistic lead nuclei. Dielectron production is measured in the fiducial region defined by following requirements: electron transverse momentum jats:inline-formulajats:alternativesjats:tex-math$$ {p}{\textrm{T}}^e $$</jats:tex-math><mml:math xmlns:mml="http://www.w3.org/1998/Math/MathML"> mml:msubsup mml:mip</mml:mi> mml:miT</mml:mi> mml:mie</mml:mi> </mml:msubsup> </mml:math></jats:alternatives></jats:inline-formula>jats:italic></jats:italic> 2jats:italic.</jats:italic>5 GeV, absolute electron pseudorapidity jats:italic|η</jats:italic>jats:supjats:italice</jats:italic></jats:sup>jats:italic| <</jats:italic> 2jats:italic.</jats:italic>5, dielectron invariant mass jats:italicm</jats:italic>jats:subjats:italicee</jats:italic></jats:sub>jats:italic></jats:italic> 5 GeV, and dielectron transverse momentum jats:inline-formulajats:alternativesjats:tex-math$$ {p}{\textrm{T}}^{ee} $$</jats:tex-math><mml:math xmlns:mml="http://www.w3.org/1998/Math/MathML"> mml:msubsup mml:mip</mml:mi> mml:miT</mml:mi> mml:miee</mml:mi> </mml:msubsup> </mml:math></jats:alternatives></jats:inline-formula>jats:italic<</jats:italic> 2 GeV. Differential cross-sections are measured as a function of jats:italicm</jats:italic>jats:subjats:italicee</jats:italic></jats:sub>, average jats:inline-formulajats:alternativesjats:tex-math$$ {p}{\textrm{T}}^e $$</jats:tex-math><mml:math xmlns:mml="http://www.w3.org/1998/Math/MathML"> mml:msubsup mml:mip</mml:mi> mml:miT</mml:mi> mml:mie</mml:mi> </mml:msubsup> </mml:math></jats:alternatives></jats:inline-formula>, absolute dielectron rapidity |jats:italicy</jats:italic>jats:subjats:italicee</jats:italic></jats:sub>|, and scattering angle in the dielectron rest frame, |cos jats:italicθ</jats:italic>jats:sup*</jats:sup>|, in the inclusive sample, and also with a requirement of no activity in the forward direction. The total integrated fiducial cross-section is measured to be jats:inline-formulajats:alternativesjats:tex-math$$ 215\pm 1{\left(\textrm{stat}.\right)}{-20}^{+23}\left(\textrm{syst}.\right)\pm 4\left(\textrm{lumi}.\right) $$</jats:tex-math><mml:math xmlns:mml="http://www.w3.org/1998/Math/MathML"> mml:mn215</mml:mn> mml:mo±</mml:mo> mml:mn1</mml:mn> mml:msubsup mml:mfenced mml:mrow mml:mtextstat</mml:mtext> mml:mo.</mml:mo> </mml:mrow> </mml:mfenced> mml:mrow mml:mo−</mml:mo> mml:mn20</mml:mn> </mml:mrow> mml:mrow mml:mo+</mml:mo> mml:mn23</mml:mn> </mml:mrow> </mml:msubsup> mml:mfenced mml:mrow mml:mtextsyst</mml:mtext> mml:mo.</mml:mo> </mml:mrow> </mml:mfenced> mml:mo±</mml:mo> mml:mn4</mml:mn> mml:mfenced mml:mrow mml:mtextlumi</mml:mtext> mml:mo.</mml:mo> </mml:mrow> </mml:mfenced> </mml:math></jats:alternatives></jats:inline-formula>jats:italicμ</jats:italic>b. Within experimental uncertainties the measured integrated cross-section is in good agreement with the QED predictions from the Monte Carlo programs Sjats:sctarlight</jats:sc> and Sjats:scuper</jats:sc>Cjats:schic</jats:sc>, confirming the broad features of the initial photon fluxes. The differential cross-sections show systematic differences from these predictions which are more pronounced at high jats:italic|y</jats:italic>jats:subjats:italicee</jats:italic></jats:sub>jats:italic|</jats:italic> and jats:italic|</jats:italic>cos jats:italicθ</jats:italic>jats:sup*</jats:sup>jats:italic|</jats:italic> values.</jats:p>