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Worlds 2025
The 2025 Season World Championship.
Overview
The 2025 League of Legends World Championship marks the culmination of the global competitive season. This year’s edition returns to China, bringing together the strongest teams from every major region. A total of 17 teams will compete for the title, glory, and a share of a multi-million-dollar prize pool.
Tournament Structure
The event is divided into three stages: Play-In, Swiss Stage, and Knockout Stage.
Regional Slots
- Korea (LCK): 4 teams
- China (LPL): 4 teams
- Americas (LTA): 3 teams
- EMEA (LEC): 3 teams
- Asia-Pacific (LCP): 3 teams
Stage 1: Play-In (October 14)
Two fourth-seeded teams — from the regions that earned extra slots through MSI performance — face off for the final Swiss Stage spot.
- Best-of-five series
- Fearless Draft ruleset
- Winner advances to the Swiss Stage; Loser is eliminated.
Stage 2: Swiss Stage (October 15–19 & 22–25)
The main portion of the tournament brings together 16 teams: 15 automatically qualified teams + the Play-In winner.
- Five rounds total. Teams cannot face the same opponent twice.
- Teams with 3 wins move on to the Knockout Stage.
- Teams with 3 losses are eliminated.
- Advancement & elimination matches: Best-of-three, Fearless Draft.
- All other matches: Best-of-one.
- Side Selection: Higher regional seed chooses side. If seeds are equal, the team drawn first chooses.
Stage 3: Knockout Stage (Oct 28–Nov 2 & Nov 9)
Eight teams enter a single-elimination playoff bracket.
- All matches are Best-of-five, Fearless Draft.
- Quarterfinals side selection: team with the better Swiss record picks first; ties resolved by draw.
- Semifinals & Finals: Game 1 side determined by coin flip.
Patch Info: The entire tournament is played on Patch 25.20.
Prize Pool
The $5 million prize pool is distributed as follows:
| Place | Prize | % | Team |
|---|---|---|---|
| 🏆 1st | $1,000,000 | 20% | T1 |
| 🥈 2nd | $800,000 | 16% | KT Rolster |
| 🥉 3-4 | $400,000 | 8% | Gen.G |
| 🥉 3-4 | $400,000 | 8% | Top Esports |
| 5-8 | $300,000 | 6% | Hanwha Life, CTBC Flying Oyster, G2 Esports, Anyone's Legend |
| 9-11 | $175,000 | 3.5% | FlyQuest, Bilibili Gaming, Movistar KOI |
| 12-14 | $125,000 | 2.5% | Team Secret Whales, Vivo Keyd Stars, 100 Thieves |
| 15-16 | $112,500 | 2.25% | Fnatic, PSG Talon |
| 17 | $75,000 | 1.5% | Invictus Gaming |
Participants
MSI Rules: The MSI champion region earns an additional Worlds seed, but only if the MSI winner reaches its regional playoffs. The second-best performing MSI region also gains an extra seed.
Qualified for Main Event (Swiss Stage)
| Region | Seed | Pool | Team | Qualification Date/Path |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| KR | 1 | 1 | Gen.G | 2025-07-23 (Q) | LCK Champion |
| KR | 2 | 2 | Hanwha Life | 2025-09-14 (Q) | LCK Runner-Up |
| KR | 3 | 2 | KT Rolster | 2025-09-13 (Q) | LCK 3rd |
| CN | 1 | 1 | Bilibili Gaming | 2025-09-15 (Q) | LPL Champion |
| CN | 2 | 2 | Anyone's Legend | 2025-09-21 | Champ Points |
| CN | 3 | 3 | Top Esports | 2025-09-25 | Regional Winner |
| AME | 1 | 1 | FlyQuest | 2025-09-07 (Q) | LTA Champion |
| AME | 2 | 2 | Vivo Keyd Stars | 2025-09-07 (Q) | LTA Runner-Up |
| AME | 3 | 3 | 100 Thieves | 2025-09-21 (Q) | LTA 3rd |
| EMEA | 1 | 1 | G2 Esports | 2025-09-07 (Q) | LEC Champion |
| EMEA | 2 | 2 | Movistar KOI | 2025-09-08 (Q) | LEC Runner-Up |
| EMEA | 3 | 3 | Fnatic | 2025-09-26 (Q) | LEC 3rd |
| APAC | 1 | 1 | CTBC Flying Oyster | 2025-09-06 (Q) | LCP Champion |
| APAC | 2 | 2 | Team Secret Whales | 2025-09-14 (Q) | LCP Runner-Up |
| APAC | 3 | 3 | PSG Talon | 2025-09-06 (Q) | LCP 3rd |
| INT | Q | 3 | T1 | Qualified from Play-In |
Qualified for Play-In Stage
| Region | Seed | Team | Qualification Date/Path |
|---|---|---|---|
| KR | 4 | T1 | 2025-09-18 (Q) | LCK 4th |
| CN | 4 | Invictus Gaming | 2025-09-27 | LPL Reg. Runner-Up |
Results: Play-In Stage
T1 vs Invictus Gaming — T1 wins 3–1 and secures the final Swiss Stage position.
Results: Swiss Stage
Swiss Stage draws occur after Play-In concludes and after every Swiss round.
Draw Guests:
- Rd 1: Ming
- Rd 2: Jiejie
- Rd 3: Baolan
- Rd 4: Crisp
- Rd 5: xiye
| Team | Rec | Rd 1 | Rd 2 | Rd 3 | Rd 4 | Rd 5 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
Anyone's Legend | 3-0 | HLE | GEN | CFO | ||
KT Rolster | 3-0 | KOI | TSW | TES | ||
G2 Esports | 3-1 | TES | KOI | BLG | FLY | |
Gen.G | 3-1 | PSG | AL | T1 | TES | |
Hanwha Life | 3-1 | AL | PSG | 100 | CFO | |
CTBC Flying Oyster | 3-2 | FNC | T1 | AL | HLE | FLY |
T1 | 3-2 | FLY | CFO | GEN | 100 | KOI |
Top Esports | 3-2 | G2 | 100 | KT | GEN | BLG |
Bilibili Gaming | 2-3 | 100 | FNC | G2 | VKS | TES |
FlyQuest | 2-3 | T1 | VKS | TSW | G2 | CFO |
Movistar KOI | 2-3 | KT | G2 | FNC | TSW | T1 |
100 Thieves | 1-3 | BLG | TES | HLE | T1 | |
Team Secret Whales | 1-3 | VKS | KT | FLY | KOI | |
Vivo Keyd Stars | 1-3 | TSW | FLY | PSG | BLG | |
Fnatic | 0-3 | CFO | BLG | KOI | ||
PSG Talon | 0-3 | GEN | HLE | VKS |
Knockout Stage
Quarterfinal bracket placement follows the final round of Swiss, with additional draw led by Zz1tai.
Bracket Rules: Teams finishing 3–0 are placed on opposite sides and paired against teams that advanced 3–2.
Venues
Play-In / Swiss
Capacity - 2,000
6 Jiachuang 2nd Rd, Tongzhou District
Quarterfinals / Semifinals
Capacity - 18,000
1200 Shibo Av, Pudong District
Grand Finals
Capacity - 18,000
Dong'an Lake Sports Park, Longquanyi District
Overview
The 2024 League of Legends World Championship—often referred to as Worlds 2024—is the pinnacle of the competitive season, bringing together the 20 strongest teams from around the globe. The tournament spans multiple weeks across three European capitals, featuring Play-Ins in Berlin, Knockouts in Paris, and the Grand Final in London.
Tournament Structure
The event is divided into three stages: Play-In, Swiss Stage, and Knockout Stage.
Regional Slots
- Korea (LCK): 4 teams
- China (LPL): 4 teams
- EMEA (LEC): 3 teams
- North America (LCS): 3 teams
- Asia-Pacific (PCS): 2 teams
- Vietnam (VCS): 2 teams
- Brazil (CBLOL): 1 team
- Latin America (LLA): 1 team
Stage 1: Play-In (September 25–29)
8 teams compete in two double-elimination brackets.
- All matches are Best-of-three.
- The loser of Upper Round 2 meets the winner of the opposite Lower Round.
- Top 4 teams qualify into the Swiss Stage; remaining teams are eliminated.
Stage 2: Swiss Stage (October 3–7 & 10–13)
16 teams participate: 12 directly seeded + 4 from Play-Ins.
- Five rounds total. Teams cannot face the same opponent twice.
- Teams with 3 wins move on to the Knockout Stage.
- Teams with 3 losses are eliminated.
- Advancement & elimination matches: Best-of-three.
- All other matches: Best-of-one.
- Side Selection: Higher draw pool receives first pick. If in the same pool, order of draw decides.
Stage 3: Knockout Stage (Oct 17–20, 26–27 & Nov 2)
Eight teams enter a single-elimination playoff bracket.
- All matches are Best-of-five.
- Quarterfinals side selection: team with the better Swiss record picks first; ties resolved by draw.
- Semifinals & Finals: Side determined by coin flip.
Patch Info: The tournament is played on Patch 14.18.
Prize Pool
The guaranteed prize pool is $2,250,000 USD (plus revenue share):
| Place | Prize | % | Team |
|---|---|---|---|
| 🏆 1st | $450,000 | 20% | T1 |
| 🥈 2nd | $360,000 | 16% | Bilibili Gaming |
| 🥉 3-4 | $180,000 | 8% | Weibo Gaming, Gen.G |
| 5-8 | $101,250 | 4.5% | LNG Esports, Hanwha Life Esports, Top Esports, FlyQuest |
| 9-11 | $78,750 | 3.5% | Dplus KIA, G2 Esports, Team Liquid |
| 12-14 | $67,500 | 3% | PSG Talon, Fnatic, GAM Esports |
| 15-16 | $56,250 | 2.5% | MAD Lions KOI, paiN Gaming |
| 17-18 | $39,375 | 1.75% | Movistar R7, 100 Thieves |
| 19-20 | $22,500 | 1% | Vikings Esports, Fukuoka SoftBank HAWKS Gaming |
Participants
Notes: Gen.G earned their spot via MSI. The LPL received an additional seed due to MSI performance. Japan (LJL) teams now qualify through the PCS playoffs.
Qualified for Main Event (Swiss Stage)
| Region | Seed | Pool | Team | Qualification Path |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| KR | 1 | 1 | Hanwha Life Esports | LCK Champion |
| KR | 2 | 2 | Gen.G | MSI Champion Points |
| KR | 3 | 3 | Dplus KIA | Regional Finals Winner |
| KR | 4 | 3 | T1 | Regional Finals Runner-Up |
| CN | 1 | 1 | Bilibili Gaming | LPL Champion |
| CN | 2 | 2 | Top Esports | LPL Champ Points |
| CN | 3 | 3 | LNG Esports | Regional Finals Winner |
| CN | 4 | 3 | Weibo Gaming | Regional Finals Runner-Up |
| EMEA | 1 | 1 | G2 Esports | LEC Season Finals Champ |
| EMEA | 2 | 2 | Fnatic | LEC Season Finals Runner-Up |
| AME | 1 | 1 | FlyQuest | LCS Championship Winner |
| AME | 2 | 2 | Team Liquid | LCS Championship Runner-Up |
| EMEA | Q | 4 | MAD Lions KOI | Qualified from Play-In |
| APAC | Q | 4 | PSG Talon | Qualified from Play-In |
| APAC | Q | 4 | GAM Esports | Qualified from Play-In |
| AME | Q | 4 | paiN Gaming | Qualified from Play-In |
Qualified for Play-In Stage
| Region | Seed | Team | Qualification Path |
|---|---|---|---|
| EMEA | 3 | MAD Lions KOI | LEC Season Finals 3rd |
| AME | 3 | 100 Thieves | LCS Championship 3rd |
| APAC | 1 | PSG Talon | PCS Summer Champion |
| APAC | 2 | Fukuoka SoftBank HAWKS Gaming | PCS Summer Runner-Up |
| APAC | 1 | GAM Esports | VCS Summer Champion |
| APAC | 2 | Vikings Esports | VCS Summer Runner-Up |
| AME | 1 | paiN Gaming | CBLOL Split 2 Champion |
| AME | 1 | Movistar R7 | LLA Closing Champion |
Results: Play-In Stage
Four teams advanced to the Swiss Stage through the qualification matches.
Results: Swiss Stage
Draws occur after every round. No rematches allowed.
Draw Guests:
- Rds 1-4: Malu Malheiros
- Rd 5: Nick Weatherlow
| Team | Rec | Rd 1 | Rd 2 | Rd 3 | Rd 4 | Rd 5 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
Gen.G | 3-0 | WBG | TES | HLE | ||
LNG Esports | 3-0 | TL | BLG | DK | ||
Hanwha Life Esports | 3-1 | PSG | G2 | GEN | FLY | |
Top Esports | 3-1 | T1 | GEN | FNC | DK | |
T1 | 3-1 | TES | PNG | BLG | G2 | |
Bilibili Gaming | 3-2 | MDK | LNG | T1 | PSG | G2 |
FlyQuest | 3-2 | GAM | DK | PSG | HLE | TL |
Weibo Gaming | 3-2 | GEN | TL | G2 | FNC | DK |
Dplus KIA | 2-3 | FNC | FLY | LNG | TES | WBG |
G2 Esports | 2-3 | PNG | HLE | WBG | T1 | BLG |
Team Liquid | 2-3 | LNG | WBG | PNG | GAM | FLY |
Fnatic | 1-3 | DK | GAM | TES | WBG | |
GAM Esports | 1-3 | FLY | FNC | MDK | TL | |
PSG Talon | 1-3 | HLE | MDK | FLY | BLG | |
MAD Lions KOI | 0-3 | BLG | PSG | GAM | ||
paiN Gaming | 0-3 | G2 | T1 | TL |
Knockout Stage
Quarterfinal draw hosted by Malu Malheiros.
Bracket Rules: Teams finishing 3–0 are placed on opposite sides and paired against teams that advanced 3–2.
Venues
Play-In / Swiss
Capacity - 250
Am Studio 20D, 12489 Berlin, Germany
Quarterfinals / Semifinals
Capacity - 8,000
Porte de la Chapelle, Paris, France
Grand Finals
Capacity - 20,000
Peninsula Square, London, UK
Overview
The 2023 League of Legends World Championship marked the culmination of the competitive season, bringing together 22 teams from every major region. Hosted across South Korea, the event introduced the largest format overhaul in Worlds history, including a Swiss Stage and the Worlds Qualifying Series (WQS) between Europe and NA.
Tournament Structure
The event is divided into three stages: Play-In, Swiss Stage, and Knockout Stage.
Regional Slots
- Korea (LCK): 4 teams
- China (LPL): 4 teams
- EMEA (LEC): 3 teams + 1 WQS Winner
- North America (LCS): 3 teams
- APAC (PCS & VCS): 2 teams each
- Japan (LJL) & Brazil (CBLOL) & LatAm (LLA): 1 team each
Stage 1: Play-In (October 10–15)
Two groups of 4 teams compete in double-elimination brackets.
- Matches are Best-of-three.
- Qualifying Round: The Upper Bracket Winner of one group faces the Lower Bracket Winner of the other group in a Best-of-five series.
- The 2 winners advance to the Swiss Stage.
Stage 2: Swiss Stage (October 19–29)
16 teams participate: 14 directly qualified + 2 Play-In winners.
- Teams with 3 wins advance; Teams with 3 losses are eliminated.
- Advancement & elimination matches: Best-of-three.
- All other matches: Best-of-one.
- Side Selection: Determined by draw pools or draw order.
Stage 3: Knockout Stage (Nov 2–19)
Eight teams enter a single-elimination playoff bracket.
- All matches are Best-of-five.
- Quarterfinals side selection: Better Swiss record picks side. Ties broken by draw.
- Semifinals & Finals: Side determined by coin flip.
Patch Info: Played on Patch 13.19. (Champions Naafiri and Briar disabled).
Prize Pool
The base prize pool is $2,225,000 USD (plus revenue share):
| Place | Prize | % | Team |
|---|---|---|---|
| 🏆 1st | $445,000 | 20% | T1 |
| 🥈 2nd | $333,750 | 15% | Weibo Gaming |
| 🥉 3-4 | $178,000 | 8% | Bilibili Gaming, JD Gaming |
| 5-8 | $100,125 | 4.5% | NRG, Gen.G, KT Rolster, LNG Esports |
| 9-11 | $72,312 | 3.25% | Dplus KIA, Fnatic, G2 Esports |
| 12-14 | $61,187 | 2.75% | Cloud9, MAD Lions, GAM Esports |
| 15-16 | $50,062 | 2.25% | Team Liquid, Team BDS |
| 17-18 | $38,937 | 1.75% | Team Whales, PSG Talon |
| 19-20 | $33,375 | 1.5% | LOUD, CTBC Flying Oyster |
| 21-22 | $22,250 | 1% | Movistar R7, DetonatioN FocusMe |
Participants
Note: Team BDS secured the final spot by defeating Golden Guardians in the inaugural Worlds Qualifying Series (WQS) held in Seoul.
Qualified for Main Event (Swiss Stage)
| Region | Seed | Pool | Team | Qualification Path |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| KR | 1 | 1 | Gen.G | LCK Summer Champion |
| KR | 2 | 2 | T1 | Championship Points |
| KR | 3 | 3 | KT Rolster | Regional Finals Winner |
| KR | 4 | 4 | Dplus KIA | Regional Finals Runner-Up |
| CN | 1 | 1 | JD Gaming | LPL Summer Champion |
| CN | 2 | 2 | Bilibili Gaming | Championship Points |
| CN | 3 | 3 | LNG Esports | Regional Finals Winner |
| CN | 4 | 4 | Weibo Gaming | Regional Finals Runner-Up |
| EMEA | 1 | 1 | G2 Esports | Season Finals Champion |
| EMEA | 2 | 2 | Fnatic | Season Finals Runner-Up |
| EMEA | 3 | 3 | MAD Lions | Season Finals 3rd |
| AME | 1 | 1 | NRG | LCS Championship Winner |
| AME | 2 | 2 | Cloud9 | LCS Championship Runner-Up |
| AME | 3 | 3 | Team Liquid | LCS Championship 3rd |
| APAC | Q | 4 | GAM Esports | Qualified from Play-In |
| EMEA | Q | 4 | Team BDS | Qualified from Play-In |
Qualified for Play-In Stage
| Region | Seed | Team | Qualification Path |
|---|---|---|---|
| APAC | 1 | PSG Talon | PCS Summer Champion |
| APAC | 2 | CTBC Flying Oyster | PCS Summer Runner-Up |
| APAC | 1 | GAM Esports | VCS Summer Champion |
| APAC | 2 | Team Whales | VCS Summer Runner-Up |
| JP | 1 | DetonatioN FocusMe | LJL Summer Champion |
| AME | 1 | LOUD | CBLOL Split 2 Champion |
| AME | 1 | Movistar R7 | LLA Closing Champion |
| EMEA | 4 | Team BDS | Worlds Qualifying Series (WQS) |
Results: Play-In Stage
Format Update: Cross-group qualification matches (Bo5) decided the two advancing teams.
Results: Swiss Stage
Draws occur after every round. No rematches allowed.
Draw Guests: Mata, Shim Sung-bo
| Team | Rec | Rd 1 | Rd 2 | Rd 3 | Rd 4 | Rd 5 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
Gen.G | 3-0 | GAM | T1 | G2 | ||
JD Gaming | 3-0 | BDS | BLG | LNG | ||
LNG Esports | 3-1 | FNC | C9 | JDG | KT | |
NRG | 3-1 | WBG | TL | MAD | G2 | |
T1 | 3-1 | TL | GEN | C9 | BLG | |
Bilibili Gaming | 3-2 | KT | JDG | FNC | T1 | G2 |
KT Rolster | 3-2 | BLG | DK | WBG | LNG | DK |
Weibo Gaming | 3-2 | NRG | G2 | KT | MAD | FNC |
Dplus KIA | 2-3 | G2 | KT | BDS | GAM | KT |
Fnatic | 2-3 | LNG | GAM | BLG | C9 | WBG |
G2 Esports | 2-3 | DK | WBG | GEN | NRG | BLG |
Cloud9 | 1-3 | MAD | LNG | T1 | FNC | |
GAM Esports | 1-3 | GEN | FNC | TL | DK | |
MAD Lions | 1-3 | C9 | BDS | NRG | WBG | |
Team BDS | 0-3 | JDG | MAD | DK | ||
Team Liquid | 0-3 | T1 | NRG | GAM |
Knockout Stage
Knockout draw hosted by BeryL.
Bracket: All three LPL teams (JDG, LNG, BLG) and T1 advanced to the semifinals.
Venues
Play-In
Capacity - 400
Gran Seoul 3F, Jongno-gu
Swiss Stage
Capacity - 1,800
Gangseo-gu
QF / SF
Capacity - 14,000
Dongnae-gu, Busan
Grand Finals
Capacity - 18,000
Guro-gu, Seoul
Overview
The 2022 League of Legends World Championship marked the conclusion of the competitive season, hosted across North America. This year featured a 24-team format with a traditional Group Stage, notable for the cancellation of the CIS slot (transferred to Europe) and the Cinderella run of the eventual champions.
Tournament Structure
The event is divided into three stages: Play-In, Group Stage, and Knockout Stage.
Regional Slots
- China (LPL) & Korea (LCK): 4 teams each
- Europe (LEC): 4 teams (Extra seed due to CIS absence)
- North America (LCS): 3 teams
- PCS & VCS: 2 teams each
- Other Regions (LJL, CBLOL, LLA, LCO, TCL): 1 team each
Stage 1: Play-In (Sept 29 – Oct 4)
12 teams split into two groups.
- Round 1: Single Round Robin. Group winners advance directly to Main Event.
- Round 2: 3rd/4th place play a Bo5; winner plays the 2nd place team of the opposite group for the final slots.
- 4 teams advance to the Group Stage.
Stage 2: Group Stage (Oct 7–16)
16 teams (12 Direct + 4 Play-In) divided into 4 groups (A, B, C, D).
- Double Round Robin (Each team plays others twice).
- Matches are Best-of-one.
- Top 2 teams from each group advance to Knockouts.
- Tiebreakers played for seeding/advancement if records are identical.
Stage 3: Knockout Stage (Oct 20 – Nov 5)
Eight teams enter a single-elimination playoff bracket.
- All matches are Best-of-five.
- Quarterfinals pair Group Winners vs Group Runners-up.
- Side Selection: Based on seeding for Game 1, then Loser Selects.
Patch Info: Played on Patch 12.18. (Udyr disabled; Orianna disabled for final Group Stage day).
Prize Pool
The prize pool started at $2,225,000 USD (plus revenue share):
| Place | Prize | % | Team |
|---|---|---|---|
| 🏆 1st | $489,500 | 22% | DRX |
| 🥈 2nd | $333,750 | 15% | T1 |
| 🥉 3-4 | $178,000 | 8% | JD Gaming, Gen.G |
| 5-8 | $100,125 | 4.5% | Rogue, Royal Never Give Up, DWG KIA, EDward Gaming |
| 9-10 | $55,625 | 2.5% | Fnatic, Top Esports |
| 11-14 | $52,843 | 2.375% | Evil Geniuses, G2 Esports, 100 Thieves, CTBC Flying Oyster |
| 15-16 | $50,062 | 2.25% | Cloud9, GAM Esports |
| 17-18 | $38,937 | 1.75% | MAD Lions, DetonatioN FocusMe |
| 19-20 | $33,375 | 1.5% | Saigon Buffalo, LOUD |
| 21-22 | $22,250 | 1% | Beyond Gaming, Isurus |
| 23-24 | $16,687 | 0.75% | Chiefs Esports Club, İstanbul Wildcats |
Participants
Notes: Europe received a 4th seed following the cancellation of the LCL (CIS) league.
Directly Qualified for Group Stage
| Region | Seed | Team | Qualification Path |
|---|---|---|---|
| CN | 1 | JD Gaming | LPL Summer Champion |
| CN | 2 | Top Esports | LPL Champ Points |
| CN | 3 | EDward Gaming | Regional Finals Winner |
| KR | 1 | Gen.G | LCK Summer Champion |
| KR | 2 | T1 | LCK Champ Points |
| KR | 3 | DWG KIA | Regional Finals Winner |
| EMEA | 1 | Rogue | LEC Summer Champion |
| EMEA | 2 | G2 Esports | LEC Summer Runner-Up |
| AME | 1 | Cloud9 | LCS Championship Winner |
| AME | 2 | 100 Thieves | LCS Championship Runner-Up |
| APAC | 1 | CTBC Flying Oyster | PCS Summer Champion |
| VN | 1 | GAM Esports | VCS Summer Champion |
Qualified for Play-In Stage
| Region | Seed | Team | Qualification Path |
|---|---|---|---|
| CN | 4 | Royal Never Give Up | Regional Finals Runner-Up |
| KR | 4 | DRX | Regional Finals Runner-Up |
| EMEA | 3 | Fnatic | LEC Summer 3rd |
| EMEA | 4 | MAD Lions | LEC Summer 4th |
| AME | 3 | Evil Geniuses | LCS Championship 3rd |
| VN | 2 | Saigon Buffalo | VCS Summer Runner-Up |
| APAC | 2 | Beyond Gaming | PCS Summer Runner-Up |
| JP | 1 | DetonatioN FocusMe | LJL Summer Champion |
| BR | 1 | LOUD | CBLOL Split 2 Champion |
| OCE | 1 | Chiefs Esports Club | LCO Split 2 Champion |
| LAT | 1 | Isurus | LLA Closing Champion |
| TR | 1 | İstanbul Wildcats | TCL Summer Champion |
Results: Play-In Stage
Fnatic and DRX won their groups to advance directly.
Evil Geniuses and Royal Never Give Up advanced through the Round 2 Knockout matches.
Group A
| Pos | Team | Rec |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | Fnatic | 4-1 |
| 2 | Evil Geniuses | 3-2 |
| 3 | LOUD | 3-2 |
| 4 | DetonatioN FocusMe | 3-2 |
| 5 | Beyond Gaming | 2-3 |
| 6 | Chiefs Esports Club | 0-5 |
Group B
| Pos | Team | Rec |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | DRX | 5-0 |
| 2 | Royal Never Give Up | 4-1 |
| 3 | MAD Lions | 3-2 |
| 4 | Saigon Buffalo | 2-3 |
| 5 | Isurus | 1-4 |
| 6 | İstanbul Wildcats | 0-5 |
Qualification Matches
Results: Group Stage
Top 2 from each group advance. Tiebreakers played for seeding in Groups B, C, and D.
Group A
| Team | Rec |
|---|---|
| T1 | 5-1 |
| EDward Gaming | 4-2 |
| Fnatic | 2-4 |
| Cloud9 | 1-5 |
Group B
| Team | Rec |
|---|---|
| JD Gaming Won Tiebreaker | 5-1 |
| DWG KIA Lost Tiebreaker | 5-1 |
| Evil Geniuses Won Tiebreaker | 1-5 |
| G2 Esports Lost Tiebreaker | 1-5 |
Group C
| Team | Rec |
|---|---|
| DRX Won Tiebreaker | 4-2 |
| Rogue Lost Tiebreaker | 4-2 |
| Top Esports | 3-3 |
| GAM Esports | 1-5 |
Group D
| Team | Rec |
|---|---|
| Gen.G Won Tiebreaker | 5-1 |
| Royal Never Give Up Lost Tiebreaker | 5-1 |
| 100 Thieves | 1-5 |
| CTBC Flying Oyster | 1-5 |
Knockout Stage
Bracket Draw: Group Winners faced Runners-up from different groups.
Storyline: DRX completed a historic "Cinderella Run" from the Play-In stage to the title.
Venues
Play-Ins
Capacity - 100 (Studio)
Artz Pedregal
Groups / QF
Capacity - 5,600
Madison Square Garden
Semifinals
Capacity - 21,000
1 State Farm Dr
Grand Finals
Capacity - 18,000
1 Warriors Way
Overview
The 2021 League of Legends World Championship was the 11th iteration of the tournament. Originally planned for China, the event was moved to Reykjavík, Iceland due to the global pandemic. It was played without a live audience in the Laugardalshöll arena.
Tournament Structure
The event is divided into three stages: Play-In, Group Stage, and Knockout Stage.
Regional Slots
- China (LPL) & Korea (LCK): 4 teams each
- Europe (LEC): 3 teams (Rogue promoted to Groups due to VCS absence)
- North America (LCS): 3 teams
- PCS: 2 teams
- Vietnam (VCS): Unable to attend
- Wildcards: 1 team each from LJL, LCL, LLA, LCO, TCL, CBLOL
Stage 1: Play-In (Oct 5–9)
10 teams split into two groups of 5.
- Group Stage: Single Round Robin. 1st place advances directly.
- Knockout: 3rd and 4th play a Bo5; winner faces the 2nd place of the opposite group for the final slots.
- 4 teams advance to the Group Stage.
Stage 2: Group Stage (Oct 11–18)
16 teams (12 Direct + 4 Play-In) divided into 4 groups (A, B, C, D).
- Double Round Robin. Matches are Best-of-one.
- Top 2 teams from each group advance to Knockouts.
- Tiebreaker Rules: No limits. Group D famously featured a historic 4-way tie (all teams 3-3).
Stage 3: Knockout Stage (Oct 22 – Nov 6)
Eight teams enter a single-elimination playoff bracket.
- All matches are Best-of-five.
- Quarterfinals pair Group Winners vs Group Runners-up.
- Side Selection: Coin flip determines side for Game 1 in Semis/Finals.
Patch Info: Played on Patch 11.19.
Prize Pool
The prize pool was $2,225,000 USD (plus revenue share):
| Place | Prize | % | Team |
|---|---|---|---|
| 🏆 1st | $489,500 | 22% | EDward Gaming |
| 🥈 2nd | $333,750 | 15% | DWG KIA |
| 🥉 3-4 | $178,000 | 8% | T1, Gen.G |
| 5-8 | $100,125 | 4.5% | Royal Never Give Up, MAD Lions, Cloud9, Hanwha Life Esports |
| 9-12 | $55,625 | 2.5% | LNG Esports, Fnatic, Rogue, PSG Talon |
| 13-16 | $50,062 | 2.25% | 100 Thieves, Team Liquid, DetonatioN FocusMe, Beyond Gaming |
| 17-18 | $27,500 | 1.25% | Galatasaray Esports, RED Canids |
| 19-20 | $22,000 | 1% | PEACE, INFINITY |
| 21-22 | $16,500 | 0.75% | Unicorns of Love |
Participants
Notes: VCS teams could not travel. Rogue (LEC #3) was promoted directly to Groups. Play-In field was reduced to 10 teams.
Directly Qualified for Group Stage
| Region | Seed | Team | Qualification Path |
|---|---|---|---|
| CN | 1 | EDward Gaming | LPL Summer Champion |
| CN | 2 | FunPlus Phoenix | LPL Champ Points |
| CN | 3 | Royal Never Give Up | Regional Finals Winner |
| KR | 1 | DWG KIA | LCK Summer Champion |
| KR | 2 | Gen.G | LCK Champ Points |
| KR | 3 | T1 | Regional Finals Winner |
| EMEA | 1 | MAD Lions | LEC Summer Champion |
| EMEA | 2 | Fnatic | LEC Summer Runner-Up |
| EMEA | 3 | Rogue | LEC Summer 3rd (Promoted) |
| AME | 1 | 100 Thieves | LCS Championship Winner |
| AME | 2 | Team Liquid | LCS Championship Runner-Up |
| APAC | 1 | PSG Talon | PCS Summer Champion |
Qualified for Play-In Stage
| Region | Seed | Team | Qualification Path |
|---|---|---|---|
| CN | 4 | LNG Esports | Regional Finals Runner-Up |
| KR | 4 | Hanwha Life Esports | Regional Finals Runner-Up |
| AME | 3 | Cloud9 | LCS Championship 3rd |
| APAC | 2 | Beyond Gaming | PCS Summer Runner-Up |
| JP | 1 | DetonatioN FocusMe | LJL Summer Champion |
| CIS | 1 | Unicorns of Love | LCL Summer Champion |
| OCE | 1 | PEACE | LCO Split 2 Champion |
| TR | 1 | Galatasaray Esports | TCL Summer Champion |
| BR | 1 | RED Canids | CBLOL Split 2 Champion |
| LAT | 1 | INFINITY | LLA Closing Champion |
Results: Play-In Stage
LNG Esports and DetonatioN FocusMe won their groups to advance directly. DFM became the first Japanese team to reach the Main Event.
Cloud9 and Hanwha Life Esports advanced through the Knockout matches.
Group A
| Pos | Team | Rec |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | LNG Esports | 4-0 |
| 2 | Hanwha Life Esports | 3-1 |
| 3 | PEACE | 2-2 |
| 4 | RED Canids | 1-3 |
| 5 | INFINITY | 0-4 |
Group B
| Pos | Team | Rec |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | DetonatioN FocusMe | 3-1 |
| 2 | Cloud9 | 3-1 |
| 3 | Galatasaray Esports | 2-2 |
| 4 | Beyond Gaming | 1-3 |
| 5 | Unicorns of Love | 1-3 |
Qualification Matches
Results: Group Stage
Historic tiebreakers in Group A (3-way tie for 2nd) and Group D (4-way tie for 1st).
Group A
| Team | Rec |
|---|---|
| DWG KIA | 6-0 |
| Cloud9 Won Tiebreaker Gauntlet | 2-4 |
| Rogue Lost Tiebreaker | 2-4 |
| FunPlus Phoenix Lost Tiebreaker | 2-4 |
Group B
| Team | Rec |
|---|---|
| T1 | 5-1 |
| EDward Gaming | 4-2 |
| 100 Thieves | 3-3 |
| DetonatioN FocusMe | 0-6 |
Group C
| Team | Rec |
|---|---|
| Royal Never Give Up Won Tiebreaker | 4-2 |
| Hanwha Life Esports Lost Tiebreaker | 4-2 |
| PSG Talon | 3-3 |
| Fnatic | 1-5 |
Group D
| Team | Rec |
|---|---|
| Gen.G Won Tiebreaker Bracket | 3-3 |
| MAD Lions Won Tiebreaker | 3-3 |
| LNG Esports Lost Tiebreaker | 3-3 |
| Team Liquid Lost Tiebreaker | 3-3 |
Knockout Stage
Finals: EDward Gaming defeated defending champions DWG KIA in a grueling 5-game series.
Venues
All Stages
Capacity - 0 (No Audience)
Engjavegur 8, 104 Reykjavík, Iceland
Overview
The 2020 League of Legends World Championship was the 10th iteration of the tournament. It was held entirely in Shanghai, China, using a "bubble" environment due to the COVID-19 pandemic. Vietnam (VCS) teams were unable to travel, reducing the field to 22 teams.
Tournament Structure
The event was adapted to a single-city format to ensure player safety.
Regional Slots
- China (LPL) & Europe (LEC): 4 teams each (LEC gained a seed due to VCS absence)
- Korea (LCK) & North America (LCS): 3 teams each
- PCS: 2 teams
- Vietnam (VCS): Unable to attend (Slots removed)
- Wildcards: 1 team each from LJL, LCL, LLA, OPL, TCL, CBLOL
Stage 1: Play-In (Sep 25–30)
10 teams split into two groups of 5.
- Group Stage: Single Round Robin. 1st place advances directly.
- Knockout: 3rd and 4th place play a Bo5 elimination match. The winner plays the 2nd place team from the opposing group for the final Group Stage slots.
- 4 teams advance to the Main Event.
Stage 2: Group Stage (Oct 3–11)
16 teams (12 Direct + 4 Play-In) divided into 4 groups (A, B, C, D).
- Double Round Robin. Matches are Best-of-one.
- Top 2 teams from each group advance to Knockouts.
- Tiebreaker Rules: Head-to-head or tiebreaker matches played for seeding.
Stage 3: Knockout Stage (Oct 15–31)
Eight teams enter a single-elimination playoff bracket.
- All matches are Best-of-five.
- Quarterfinals pair Group Winners vs Group Runners-up.
- The Finals were the only stage played in front of a live (limited) audience at the new Pudong Stadium.
Patch Info: Played on Patch 10.19. Yone was disabled.
Prize Pool
The base prize pool was $2,225,000 USD (augmented by digital sales):
| Place | Prize | % | Team |
|---|---|---|---|
| 🏆 1st | $556,250 | 25% | DAMWON Gaming |
| 🥈 2nd | $389,375 | 17.5% | Suning |
| 🥉 3-4 | $200,250 | 9% | G2 Esports, Top Esports |
| 5-8 | $100,125 | 4.5% | Fnatic, JD Gaming, Gen.G, DRX |
| 9-12 | $55,625 | 2.5% | Team Liquid, PSG Talon, LGD Gaming, FlyQuest |
| 13-16 | $33,375 | 1.5% | Machi Esports, Rogue, TSM, Unicorns of Love |
| 17-18 | $22,250 | 1% | Legacy Esports, Papara SuperMassive |
| 19-20 | $16,687 | 0.75% | Rainbow7, MAD Lions |
| 21-22 | $13,350 | 0.6% | V3 Esports, INTZ |
Participants
Notes: VCS teams (Team Flash and GAM Esports) qualified but could not travel. The Play-In format was adjusted to 10 teams.
Directly Qualified for Group Stage
| Region | Seed | Team | Qualification Path |
|---|---|---|---|
| CN | 1 | Top Esports | LPL Summer Champion |
| CN | 2 | JD Gaming | LPL Champ Points |
| CN | 3 | Suning | Regional Finals Winner |
| EU | 1 | G2 Esports | LEC Summer Champion |
| EU | 2 | Fnatic | LEC Summer Runner-Up |
| EU | 3 | Rogue | LEC Summer 3rd |
| KR | 1 | DAMWON Gaming | LCK Summer Champion |
| KR | 2 | DRX | LCK Champ Points |
| KR | 3 | Gen.G | Regional Finals Winner |
| AME | 1 | TSM | LCS Summer Champion |
| AME | 2 | FlyQuest | LCS Summer Runner-Up |
| APAC | 1 | Machi Esports | PCS Summer Champion |
Qualified for Play-In Stage
| Region | Seed | Team | Qualification Path |
|---|---|---|---|
| CN | 4 | LGD Gaming | Regional Finals Runner-Up |
| EU | 4 | MAD Lions | LEC Summer 4th |
| AME | 3 | Team Liquid | LCS Summer 3rd |
| APAC | 2 | PSG Talon | PCS Summer Runner-Up |
| CIS | 1 | Unicorns of Love | LCL Summer Champion |
| TR | 1 | Papara SuperMassive | TCL Summer Champion |
| OCE | 1 | Legacy Esports | OPL Split 2 Champion |
| JP | 1 | V3 Esports | LJL Summer Champion |
| BR | 1 | INTZ | CBLOL Split 2 Champion |
| LAT | 1 | Rainbow7 | LLA Closing Champion |
Results: Play-In Stage
Team Liquid and PSG Talon dominated their groups to advance directly. MAD Lions (LEC #4) suffered a historic upset, becoming the first major region team to be eliminated in Play-Ins.
LGD Gaming and Unicorns of Love secured the final spots via the Qualification Round.
Group A
| Pos | Team | Rec |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | Team Liquid | 3-1 |
| 2 | Legacy Esports | 3-1 |
| 3 | Papara SuperMassive | 2-2 |
| 4 | MAD Lions | 1-3 |
| 5 | INTZ | 1-3 |
Group B
| Pos | Team | Rec |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | PSG Talon | 3-1 |
| 2 | Unicorns of Love | 3-1 |
| 3 | Rainbow7 | 2-2 |
| 4 | LGD Gaming | 1-3 |
| 5 | V3 Esports | 1-3 |
Qualification Matches (Final Round)
Results: Group Stage
TSM set a negative record as the first major region 1st seed to go 0-6. Suning shocked Group A by defeating G2 Esports in a tiebreaker.
Group A
| Team | Rec |
|---|---|
| Suning Won Tiebreaker vs G2 | 4-2 |
| G2 Esports Lost Tiebreaker | 4-2 |
| Team Liquid | 3-3 |
| Machi Esports | 1-5 |
Group B
| Team | Rec |
|---|---|
| DAMWON Gaming | 5-1 |
| JD Gaming | 4-2 |
| PSG Talon | 2-4 |
| Rogue | 1-5 |
Group C
| Team | Rec |
|---|---|
| Gen.G | 5-1 |
| Fnatic | 4-2 |
| LGD Gaming | 3-3 |
| TSM | 0-6 |
Group D
| Team | Rec |
|---|---|
| Top Esports | 5-1 |
| DRX | 4-2 |
| FlyQuest | 3-3 |
| Unicorns of Love | 0-6 |
Knockout Stage
Finals: DAMWON Gaming restored LCK glory by defeating the dark horse Suning at the Pudong Football Stadium.
Venues
Finals
Capacity: 6,312 (Limited)
Pudong New Area, Shanghai, China
Play-In to Semifinals
Capacity: 0 (No Audience)
Jing'an District, Shanghai, China
Overview
The 2019 League of Legends World Championship was the 9th iteration of the tournament. Held across Berlin, Madrid, and Paris, it featured a European tour that culminated in a historic final in France. This year solidified the rise of the LPL and LEC as dominant forces in the global scene.
Tournament Structure
The event spanned three stages with 24 teams from across the globe.
Regional Slots
- China (LPL), Korea (LCK), Europe (LEC), NA (LCS): 3 teams each
- LMS, Vietnam (VCS): 2 teams each
- Wildcards: 1 team each from BR, CIS, LATAM, JP, OCE, SEA, TR
Stage 1: Play-In (Oct 2–8)
12 teams split into 4 groups of 3.
- Group Stage: Double Round Robin. Top 2 from each group advance to Knockouts.
- Knockout: 1st place from one group faces 2nd place from another in a Bo5 series.
- 4 winners advance to the Main Group Stage.
Stage 2: Group Stage (Oct 12–20)
16 teams (12 Direct + 4 Play-In) divided into 4 groups (A, B, C, D).
- Double Round Robin. Matches are Best-of-one.
- Top 2 teams from each group advance to Knockouts.
- Tiebreaker Rules: Head-to-head or tiebreaker matches played for seeding/advancement.
Stage 3: Knockout Stage (Oct 26 – Nov 10)
Eight teams enter a single-elimination playoff bracket.
- All matches are Best-of-five.
- Quarterfinals & Semifinals were held in Madrid; Finals in Paris.
Patch Info: Played on Patch 9.19. Pantheon was disabled.
Prize Pool
The base prize pool was over $2,225,000 USD (excluding revenue share):
| Place | Prize | % | Team |
|---|---|---|---|
| 🏆 1st | $834,375 | 37.5% | FunPlus Phoenix |
| 🥈 2nd | $300,375 | 13.5% | G2 Esports |
| 🥉 3-4 | $155,750 | 7% | Invictus Gaming, SK Telecom T1 |
| 5-8 | $89,000 | 4% | Griffin, Fnatic, Splyce, DAMWON Gaming |
| 9-12 | $50,062 | 2.25% | J Team, Cloud9, Royal Never Give Up, Team Liquid |
| 13-16 | $27,812 | 1.25% | GAM Esports, Hong Kong Attitude, Clutch Gaming, ahq e-Sports Club |
| 17-20 | $16,687 | 0.75% | Lowkey Esports, Royal Youth, Isurus, Unicorns of Love |
| 21-24 | $11,125 | 0.5% | DetonatioN FocusMe, MAMMOTH, MEGA, Flamengo Esports |
Participants
Notes: This was the final year for the LMS region before merging with SEA to form the PCS. The LPL held 3 group stage seeds due to winning Worlds 2018.
Directly Qualified for Group Stage
| Region | Seed | Team | Qualification Path |
|---|---|---|---|
| CN | 1 | FunPlus Phoenix | LPL Summer Champion |
| CN | 2 | Royal Never Give Up | LPL Champ Points |
| CN | 3 | Invictus Gaming | Regional Finals Winner |
| EU | 1 | G2 Esports | LEC Summer Champion |
| EU | 2 | Fnatic | LEC Regional Finals Winner |
| KR | 1 | SK Telecom T1 | LCK Summer Champion |
| KR | 2 | Griffin | LCK Champ Points |
| AME | 1 | Team Liquid | LCS Summer Champion |
| AME | 2 | Cloud9 | LCS Champ Points |
| LMS | 1 | J Team | LMS Summer Champion |
| LMS | 2 | ahq e-Sports Club | LMS Champ Points |
| VN | 1 | GAM Esports | VCS Summer Champion |
Qualified for Play-In Stage
| Region | Seed | Team | Qualification Path |
|---|---|---|---|
| KR | 3 | DAMWON Gaming | Regional Finals Winner |
| EU | 3 | Splyce | Regional Finals Runner-Up |
| AME | 3 | Clutch Gaming | Regional Finals Winner |
| LMS | 3 | Hong Kong Attitude | Regional Finals Winner |
| VN | 2 | Lowkey Esports | VCS Summer Runner-Up |
| CIS | 1 | Unicorns of Love | LCL Summer Champion |
| TR | 1 | Royal Youth | TCL Summer Champion |
| LAT | 1 | Isurus | LLA Closing Champion |
| BR | 1 | Flamengo Esports | CBLOL Split 2 Champion |
| JP | 1 | DetonatioN FocusMe | LJL Summer Champion |
| OCE | 1 | MAMMOTH | OPL Split 2 Champion |
| SEA | 1 | MEGA | LST Summer Champion |
Results: Play-In Stage
All four major region seeds (DWG, SPY, CG, HKA) successfully qualified for the main event. DAMWON Gaming looked particularly dominant, dropping only one game throughout the stage.
Group A
| Pos | Team | Rec |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | Clutch Gaming | 2-2 |
| 2 | Unicorns of Love | 2-2 |
| 3 | MAMMOTH | 2-2 |
Group B
| Pos | Team | Rec |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | Splyce | 3-1 |
| 2 | Isurus | 2-2 |
| 3 | DetonatioN FocusMe | 1-3 |
Group C
| Pos | Team | Rec |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | Hong Kong Attitude | 3-1 |
| 2 | Lowkey Esports | 2-2 |
| 3 | MEGA | 1-3 |
Group D
| Pos | Team | Rec |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | DAMWON Gaming | 4-0 |
| 2 | Royal Youth | 1-3 |
| 3 | Flamengo Esports | 1-3 |
Qualification Matches (Bo5)
Results: Group Stage
Group C was dubbed the "Group of Death". RNG was eliminated in groups for the first time in years. Griffin and FunPlus Phoenix required tiebreakers to secure 1st seeds.
Group A
| Team | Rec |
|---|---|
| Griffin Won Tiebreaker | 5-1 |
| G2 Esports Lost Tiebreaker | 5-1 |
| Cloud9 | 2-4 |
| Hong Kong Attitude | 0-6 |
Group B
| Team | Rec |
|---|---|
| FunPlus Phoenix Won Tiebreaker | 4-2 |
| Splyce Lost Tiebreaker | 4-2 |
| J Team | 3-3 |
| GAM Esports | 1-5 |
Group C
| Team | Rec |
|---|---|
| SK Telecom T1 | 5-1 |
| Fnatic | 4-2 |
| Royal Never Give Up | 3-3 |
| Clutch Gaming | 0-6 |
Group D
| Team | Rec |
|---|---|
| DAMWON Gaming | 5-1 |
| Invictus Gaming | 4-2 |
| Team Liquid | 3-3 |
| ahq e-Sports Club | 0-6 |
Knockout Stage
Finals: FunPlus Phoenix silenced the home crowd in Paris, sweeping G2 Esports 3-0 to win China's second consecutive World Championship.
Venues
Play-In Stage
Capacity: 170
Adlershof, Berlin, Germany
Group Stage
Capacity: 2,250
Friedrichshain, Berlin, Germany
Quarterfinals & Semifinals
Capacity: 15,000
Carabanchel, Madrid, Spain
Grand Final
Capacity: 20,300
Bercy, Paris, France
Overview
The 2018 League of Legends World Championship was the 8th iteration of the tournament, held across four cities in South Korea. It is widely considered one of the most exciting Worlds in history, featuring the collapse of Korean dominance, the rise of the West, and China (LPL) finally claiming its first title.
Tournament Structure
A 24-team tournament featuring the return of the full Play-In format.
Regional Slots
- Korea (LCK): 3 teams (Defending champions Gen.G eliminated in groups)
- China (LPL), Europe (EU LCS), NA (NA LCS): 3 teams each
- LMS: 2 teams + 1 Play-In seed
- Vietnam (VCS): 1 direct Group Stage seed
- Wildcards: 8 regions competing in Play-Ins
Stage 1: Play-In (Oct 1–7)
12 teams split into 4 groups of 3.
- Group Stage: Double Round Robin. Top 2 advance.
- Knockout: Bo5 Qualification Matches.
- 4 teams advance to the Main Group Stage.
Stage 2: Group Stage (Oct 10–17)
16 teams (12 Direct + 4 Play-In) divided into 4 groups.
- Double Round Robin. Matches are Best-of-one.
- Top 2 teams from each group advance to Knockouts.
- This stage saw the shocking elimination of defending champions Gen.G (1-5 record).
Stage 3: Knockout Stage (Oct 20 – Nov 3)
Eight teams enter a single-elimination playoff bracket.
- All matches are Best-of-five.
- For the first time ever, 3 Western teams (FNC, G2, C9) reached the Semifinals.
Patch Info: Played on Patch 8.19. The meta shifted heavily towards solo lane carries (TheShy, Rookie, Caps, Perkz).
Prize Pool
The total prize pool reached approximately $6,450,000 USD (boosted by Championship Kha'Zix sales):
| Place | Prize | % | Team |
|---|---|---|---|
| 🏆 1st | $2,418,750 | 37.5% | Invictus Gaming |
| 🥈 2nd | $870,750 | 13.5% | Fnatic |
| 🥉 3-4 | $451,500 | 7% | G2 Esports, Cloud9 |
| 5-8 | $258,000 | 4% | KT Rolster, Royal Never Give Up, EDward Gaming, Afreeca Freecs |
| 9-12 | $145,125 | 2.25% | Team Vitality, Flash Wolves, Team Liquid, 100 Thieves |
| 13-16 | $80,625 | 1.25% | Gen.G, Phong Vũ Buffalo, MAD Team, G-Rex |
| 17-20 | $48,375 | 0.75% | Gambit Esports, DetonatioN FocusMe, Infinity Esports, SuperMassive Esports |
| 21-24 | $32,250 | 0.5% | Kaos Latin Gamers, KaBuM! Esports, Ascension Gaming, Dire Wolves |
Participants
Notes: This was the first year the VCS (Vietnam) received a direct seed to the Group Stage due to strong past performances.
Directly Qualified for Group Stage
| Region | Seed | Team | Qualification Path |
|---|---|---|---|
| KR | 1 | KT Rolster | LCK Summer Champion |
| KR | 2 | Afreeca Freecs | LCK Champ Points |
| KR | 3 | Gen.G | Regional Finals Winner |
| CN | 1 | Royal Never Give Up | LPL Summer Champion |
| CN | 2 | Invictus Gaming | LPL Champ Points |
| EU | 1 | Fnatic | EU LCS Summer Champion |
| EU | 2 | Team Vitality | EU LCS Champ Points |
| NA | 1 | Team Liquid | NA LCS Summer Champion |
| NA | 2 | 100 Thieves | NA LCS Champ Points |
| LMS | 1 | Flash Wolves | LMS Summer Champion |
| LMS | 2 | MAD Team | LMS Champ Points |
| VN | 1 | Phong Vũ Buffalo | VCS Summer Champion |
Qualified for Play-In Stage
| Region | Seed | Team | Qualification Path |
|---|---|---|---|
| CN | 3 | EDward Gaming | Regional Finals Winner |
| EU | 3 | G2 Esports | Regional Finals Winner |
| NA | 3 | Cloud9 | Regional Finals Winner |
| LMS | 3 | G-Rex | Regional Finals Winner |
| BR | 1 | KaBuM! Esports | CBLOL Winter Champion |
| CIS | 1 | Gambit Esports | LCL Summer Champion |
| JP | 1 | DetonatioN FocusMe | LJL Summer Champion |
| LAN | 1 | Infinity Esports | LLN Closing Champion |
| LAS | 1 | Kaos Latin Gamers | CLS Closing Champion |
| OCE | 1 | Dire Wolves | OPL Split 2 Champion |
| SEA | 1 | Ascension Gaming | SEA Tour Summer Champion |
| TR | 1 | SuperMassive Esports | TCL Summer Champion |
Results: Play-In Stage
All four major region seeds (EDG, G2, C9, G-Rex) advanced. DetonatioN FocusMe made history by becoming the first Japanese team to reach the Qualification Round.
Group A
| Pos | Team | Rec |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | EDward Gaming | 3-1 |
| 2 | Infinity Esports | 2-2 |
| 3 | Dire Wolves | 1-3 |
Group B
| Pos | Team | Rec |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | G2 Esports | 3-1 |
| 2 | SuperMassive Esports | 3-1 |
| 3 | Ascension Gaming | 0-4 |
Group C
| Pos | Team | Rec |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | Cloud9 | 4-0 |
| 2 | DetonatioN FocusMe | 1-3 |
| 3 | KaBuM! Esports | 1-3 |
Group D
| Pos | Team | Rec |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | G-Rex | 4-0 |
| 2 | Gambit Esports | 2-2 |
| 3 | Kaos Latin Gamers | 0-4 |
Qualification Matches (Bo5)
Results: Group Stage
Group B was the "Group of Death," seeing defending champions Gen.G eliminated last. Vitality upset RNG, and Cloud9 escaped to quarters. Fnatic topped Group D over eventual winners iG.
Group A
| Team | Rec |
|---|---|
| Afreeca Freecs | 4-2 |
| G2 Esports Won Tiebreaker | 3-3 |
| Flash Wolves Lost Tiebreaker | 3-3 |
| Phong Vũ Buffalo | 2-4 |
Group B
| Team | Rec |
|---|---|
| Royal Never Give Up Won Tiebreaker | 4-2 |
| Cloud9 Lost Tiebreaker | 4-2 |
| Team Vitality | 3-3 |
| Gen.G Defending Champs Eliminated | 1-5 |
Group C
| Team | Rec |
|---|---|
| KT Rolster | 5-1 |
| EDward Gaming | 4-2 |
| Team Liquid | 3-3 |
| MAD Team | 0-6 |
Group D
| Team | Rec |
|---|---|
| Fnatic Won Tiebreaker | 5-1 |
| Invictus Gaming Lost Tiebreaker | 5-1 |
| 100 Thieves | 2-4 |
| G-Rex | 0-6 |
Knockout Stage
Finals: Invictus Gaming swept Fnatic 3-0 in Incheon, securing the Summoner's Cup for the LPL for the first time.
Venues
Play-In Stage
Capacity: 450
Jongno-gu, Seoul, South Korea
Group Stage & Quarterfinals
Capacity: 4,002
Haeundae-gu, Busan, South Korea
Semifinals
Capacity: 8,800
Gwangsan-gu, Gwangju, South Korea
Grand Final
Capacity: 50,256
Michuhol-gu, Incheon, South Korea
Overview
The 2017 League of Legends World Championship was the 7th iteration of the tournament, held across four major cities in China. It is famous for the "Ardent Censer" meta, a massive crowd-funded prize pool, and Samsung Galaxy's historic 3-0 sweep of SK Telecom T1 at the Bird's Nest stadium.
Tournament Structure
A 24-team tournament featuring the introduction of the Play-In Stage format.
Regional Slots
- Korea (LCK): 3 Direct Group Stage seeds (Due to previous dominance)
- China (LPL), Europe (EU LCS), NA (NA LCS), LMS: 2 Direct + 1 Play-In seed
- Southeast Asia (GPL): 1 Direct seed (GAM) + 1 Play-In seed (Due to MSI performance)
- Wildcards: 7 regions competing in Play-Ins
Stage 1: Play-In (Sep 23–29)
12 teams split into 4 groups of 3.
- Group Stage: Double Round Robin. Top 2 advance.
- Knockout: Bo5 Qualification Matches.
- 4 teams advance to the Main Group Stage.
Stage 2: Group Stage (Oct 5–15)
16 teams (12 Direct + 4 Play-In) divided into 4 groups.
- Double Round Robin. Matches are Best-of-one.
- Top 2 teams from each group advance to Knockouts.
- Fnatic made history by qualifying after starting 0-4 (0-3 week 1 + loss in week 2), winning two tiebreakers.
Stage 3: Knockout Stage (Oct 19 – Nov 4)
Eight teams enter a single-elimination playoff bracket.
- All matches are Best-of-five.
- The Finals were held at the iconic Beijing National Stadium (Bird's Nest).
Patch Info: Played on Patch 7.18. Ornn was disabled. The meta heavily revolved around protecting the ADC with Ardent Censer supports (Janna, Lulu, Karma).
Prize Pool
The prize pool skyrocketed to nearly $5 Million USD due to fan contributions via Championship Ashe skin sales:
| Place | Prize | % | Team |
|---|---|---|---|
| 🏆 1st | $1,855,114 | 37.5% | Samsung Galaxy |
| 🥈 2nd | $667,841 | 13.5% | SK Telecom T1 |
| 🥉 3-4 | $346,288 | 7% | Royal Never Give Up, Team WE |
| 5-8 | $197,879 | 4% | Longzhu Gaming, Misfits Gaming, Fnatic, Cloud9 |
| 9-11 | $111,307 | 2.25% | GIGABYTE Marines, G2 Esports, TSM |
| 12-13 | $86,571 | 1.75% | ahq eSports Club, EDward Gaming |
| 14-16 | $61,837 | 1.25% | Immortals, Fenerbahçe Esports, Flash Wolves |
| 17-20 | $37,102 | 0.75% | Lyon Gaming, Hong Kong Attitude, Team oNe Esports, Young Generation |
| 21-24 | $24,735 | 0.5% | Gambit Esports, Dire Wolves, Rampage, Kaos Latin Gamers |
Participants
Notes: GIGABYTE Marines' performance at MSI 2017 earned the GPL a direct Group Stage spot, pushing the NA LCS 3rd seed into the Play-In stage.
Directly Qualified for Group Stage
| Region | Seed | Team | Qualification Path |
|---|---|---|---|
| KR | 1 | Longzhu Gaming | LCK Summer Champion |
| KR | 2 | SK Telecom T1 | LCK Champ Points |
| KR | 3 | Samsung Galaxy | Regional Finals Winner |
| CN | 1 | EDward Gaming | LPL Summer Champion |
| CN | 2 | Royal Never Give Up | LPL Champ Points |
| EU | 1 | G2 Esports | EU LCS Summer Champion |
| EU | 2 | Misfits Gaming | EU LCS Champ Points |
| NA | 1 | TSM | NA LCS Summer Champion |
| NA | 2 | Immortals | NA LCS Champ Points |
| LMS | 1 | Flash Wolves | LMS Summer Champion |
| LMS | 2 | ahq eSports Club | LMS Champ Points |
| SEA | 1 | GIGABYTE Marines | GPL Summer Champion |
Qualified for Play-In Stage
| Region | Seed | Team | Qualification Path |
|---|---|---|---|
| CN | 3 | Team WE | Regional Finals Winner |
| EU | 3 | Fnatic | Regional Finals Winner |
| NA | 3 | Cloud9 | Regional Finals Winner |
| LMS | 3 | Hong Kong Attitude | Regional Finals Winner |
| BR | 1 | Team oNe Esports | CBLOL Winter Champion |
| CIS | 1 | Gambit Esports | LCL Summer Champion |
| JP | 1 | Rampage | LJL Summer Champion |
| LAN | 1 | Lyon Gaming | LLN Closing Champion |
| LAS | 1 | Kaos Latin Gamers | CLS Closing Champion |
| OCE | 1 | Dire Wolves | OPL Split 2 Champion |
| SEA | 2 | Young Generation | GPL Summer Runner-Up |
| TR | 1 | Fenerbahçe Esports | TCL Summer Champion |
Results: Play-In Stage
Fenerbahçe Esports became the first Turkish team to qualify for Groups. All four major region seeds (WE, FNC, C9) successfully advanced through the bracket stage.
Group A
| Pos | Team | Rec |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | Team WE | 4-0 |
| 2 | Lyon Gaming | 2-2 |
| 3 | Gambit Esports | 0-4 |
Group B
| Pos | Team | Rec |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | Cloud9 | 4-0 |
| 2 | Team oNe Esports | 1-3 |
| 3 | Dire Wolves | 1-3 |
Group C
| Pos | Team | Rec |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | Fnatic | 3-1 |
| 2 | Young Generation | 2-2 |
| 3 | Kaos Latin Gamers | 1-3 |
Group D
| Pos | Team | Rec |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | Fenerbahçe Esports | 3-1 |
| 2 | Hong Kong Attitude | 3-1 |
| 3 | Rampage | 0-4 |
Qualification Matches (Bo5)
Results: Group Stage
Group B saw a historic 3-way tie for 2nd place; Fnatic miraculously advanced. Misfits Gaming upset TSM in a tiebreaker to escape Group D.
Group A
| Team | Rec |
|---|---|
| SK Telecom T1 | 5-1 |
| Cloud9 | 3-3 |
| ahq eSports Club | 2-4 |
| EDward Gaming | 2-4 |
Group B
| Team | Rec |
|---|---|
| Longzhu Gaming | 6-0 |
| Fnatic Won 2 Tiebreakers (0-4 start) | 2-4 |
| GIGABYTE Marines Lost Tiebreaker | 2-4 |
| Immortals Lost Tiebreaker | 2-4 |
Group C
| Team | Rec |
|---|---|
| Royal Never Give Up | 5-1 |
| Samsung Galaxy | 4-2 |
| G2 Esports | 3-3 |
| Fenerbahçe Esports | 0-6 |
Group D
| Team | Rec |
|---|---|
| Team WE | 5-1 |
| Misfits Gaming Won Tiebreaker | 3-3 |
| TSM Lost Tiebreaker | 3-3 |
| Flash Wolves | 1-5 |
Knockout Stage
Finals: Samsung Galaxy avenged their 2016 loss by sweeping SK Telecom T1 3-0, ending the SKT dynasty in front of 40,000+ fans in Beijing.
Venues
Play-In & Group Stage
Capacity: 7,000
Zhuankou, Wuhan, China
Quarterfinals
Capacity: 10,000
Baiyun District, Guangzhou, China
Semifinals
Capacity: 18,200
Pudong, Shanghai, China
Grand Final
Capacity: 80,000
Chaoyang, Beijing, China
Overview
The 2016 League of Legends World Championship was the 6th iteration of the tournament, held across the United States. It is widely remembered for the rise of wildcard team Albus NoX Luna, the "Miracle Run" of Samsung Galaxy, and the legendary Semifinal clash between SKT and ROX Tigers.
Tournament Structure
The event featured 16 teams and a massive prize pool increase due to the introduction of crowd-funding.
Regional Slots
- Major Regions: 3 seeds for LCK, LPL, EU LCS, NA LCS. 2 seeds for LMS.
- Wildcards: 2 seeds determined by the International Wildcard Qualifiers (IWCQ) held in Brazil.
Stage 1: Group Stage (Sep 29 – Oct 9)
16 teams divided into 4 groups of 4.
- Double Round Robin. Matches are Best-of-one.
- Top 2 teams from each group advance to Knockouts.
- Held in San Francisco, this stage saw Albus NoX Luna become the first Wildcard team ever to reach the Top 8.
Stage 2: Knockout Stage (Oct 13 – Oct 29)
Eight teams enter a single-elimination playoff bracket.
- All matches are Best-of-five.
- Played across Chicago, New York City, and Los Angeles.
- SK Telecom T1 became the first team to win back-to-back World Championships (and their 3rd title overall).
Patch Info: Played on Patch 6.18. Yorick was disabled.
Prize Pool
The prize pool expanded significantly to over $5 Million USD due to sales of the Championship Zed and Ward skins:
| Place | Prize | % | Team |
|---|---|---|---|
| 🏆 1st | $2,028,000 | 40% | SK Telecom T1 |
| 🥈 2nd | $760,500 | 15% | Samsung Galaxy |
| 🥉 3-4 | $380,250 | 7.5% | ROX Tigers, H2K |
| 5-8 | $202,800 | 4% | Cloud9, Royal Never Give Up, EDward Gaming, Albus NoX Luna |
| 9-12 | $114,075 | 2.25% | Counter Logic Gaming, ahq eSports Club, TSM, I May |
| 13-16 | $63,375 | 1.25% | G2 Esports, INTZ, Splyce, Flash Wolves |
Participants
Notes: Unlike modern formats, there was no on-site Play-In stage. Wildcard teams qualified via a separate IWCQ tournament held in Brazil prior to the main event.
Group Stage Seeds (Major Regions)
| Region | Seed | Team | Qualification Path |
|---|---|---|---|
| KR | 1 | ROX Tigers | LCK Summer Champion |
| KR | 2 | SK Telecom T1 | LCK Champ Points |
| KR | 3 | Samsung Galaxy | Regional Finals Winner |
| CN | 1 | EDward Gaming | LPL Summer Champion |
| CN | 2 | Royal Never Give Up | LPL Champ Points |
| CN | 3 | I May | Regional Finals Winner |
| NA | 1 | TSM | NA LCS Summer Champion |
| NA | 2 | Counter Logic Gaming | NA LCS Champ Points |
| NA | 3 | Cloud9 | Regional Finals Winner |
| EU | 1 | G2 Esports | EU LCS Summer Champion |
| EU | 2 | H2K | EU LCS Champ Points |
| EU | 3 | Splyce | Regional Finals Winner |
| LMS | 1 | Flash Wolves | LMS Summer Champion |
| LMS | 2 | ahq eSports Club | Regional Finals Winner |
International Wildcard Qualifiers (IWCQ)
| Region | Seed | Team | Qualification Path |
|---|---|---|---|
| CIS | 1 | Albus NoX Luna | IWCQ (Brazil) Winner |
| BR | 1 | INTZ | IWCQ (Brazil) Winner |
Results: Group Stage
Albus NoX Luna (CIS) shocked the world by beating ROX Tigers and CLG to advance. H2K went on a winning streak to top Group C, while TSM fell short in the highly competitive Group D.
Group A
| Team | Rec |
|---|---|
| ROX Tigers Won Tiebreaker | 4-2 |
| Albus NoX Luna Lost Tiebreaker | 4-2 |
| Counter Logic Gaming | 3-3 |
| G2 Esports | 1-5 |
Group B
| Team | Rec |
|---|---|
| SK Telecom T1 | 5-1 |
| Cloud9 | 3-3 |
| I May | 2-4 |
| Flash Wolves | 2-4 |
Group C
| Team | Rec |
|---|---|
| H2K Won Tiebreaker | 4-2 |
| EDward Gaming Lost Tiebreaker | 4-2 |
| ahq eSports Club | 3-3 |
| INTZ Beat EDG in Opener | 1-5 |
Group D
| Team | Rec |
|---|---|
| Samsung Galaxy | 5-1 |
| Royal Never Give Up Head-to-Head Adv | 3-3 |
| TSM | 3-3 |
| Splyce | 1-5 |
Knockout Stage
Semifinals: The series between SK Telecom T1 and ROX Tigers at Madison Square Garden is widely considered the greatest series in League of Legends history, featuring the famous Miss Fortune support pick.
Venues
Group Stage
Capacity: 7,000
99 Grove St, San Francisco, CA
Quarterfinals
Capacity: 3,600
175 N State St, Chicago, IL
Semifinals
Capacity: 18,000
4 Pennsylvania Plaza, NY
Grand Final
Capacity: 18,000+
1111 S Figueroa St, Los Angeles, CA
Overview
The 2015 League of Legends World Championship was the 5th iteration of the tournament, featuring a month-long tour across four European capitals. It established the modern "Juggernaut" meta (Patch 5.18) and is remembered for SK Telecom T1's absolute dominance, dropping only a single game the entire tournament.
Tournament Structure
The event featured 16 teams with no Play-In stage; Wildcards qualified via separate international events.
Regional Slots
- Major Regions: 3 seeds for LCK, LPL, EU LCS, NA LCS. 2 seeds for LMS.
- Wildcards: 2 seeds determined by IWC tournaments in Turkey and Chile.
Stage 1: Group Stage (Oct 1–11)
16 teams divided into 4 groups of 4.
- Held in Paris, France.
- Double Round Robin. Matches are Best-of-one.
- Top 2 teams from each group advance to Knockouts.
- LPL 1st seed LGD Gaming collapsed spectacularly, failing to escape groups.
Stage 2: Knockout Stage (Oct 15–31)
Eight teams enter a single-elimination playoff bracket.
- All matches are Best-of-five.
- Played across London, Brussels, and Berlin.
- SK Telecom T1 became the first organization to win two World Championships.
Patch Info: Played on Patch 5.18. Famous for the "Juggernaut" rework (Darius, Mordekaiser, Garen, Skarner) and Gangplank perma-bans.
Prize Pool
The total prize pool was $2,130,000 USD:
| Place | Prize | % | Team |
|---|---|---|---|
| 🏆 1st | $1,000,000 | 46.95% | SK Telecom T1 |
| 🥈 2nd | $250,000 | 11.74% | KOO Tigers |
| 🥉 3-4 | $150,000 | 7.04% | Fnatic, Origen |
| 5-8 | $75,000 | 3.52% | Flash Wolves, ahq eSports Club, EDward Gaming, KT Rolster |
| 9-11 | $45,000 | 2.11% | H2K, LGD Gaming, Cloud9 |
| 12-13 | $35,000 | 1.64% | Counter Logic Gaming, paiN Gaming |
| 14-16 | $25,000 | 1.17% | Bangkok Titans, TSM, Invictus Gaming |
Participants
Notes: The IWCQ system was used for Wildcards. Origen qualified through the EU Regional Gauntlet as a newcomer team founded by xPeke.
Group Stage Seeds (Major Regions)
| Region | Seed | Team | Qualification Path |
|---|---|---|---|
| KR | 1 | SK Telecom T1 | LCK Summer Champion |
| KR | 2 | KOO Tigers | LCK Champ Points |
| KR | 3 | KT Rolster | Regional Finals Winner |
| CN | 1 | LGD Gaming | LPL Champ Points |
| CN | 2 | EDward Gaming | Regional Finals Winner |
| CN | 3 | Invictus Gaming | Regional Finals Runner-Up |
| EU | 1 | Fnatic | EU LCS Summer Champion |
| EU | 2 | H2K | EU LCS Champ Points |
| EU | 3 | Origen | Regional Finals Winner |
| NA | 1 | Counter Logic Gaming | NA LCS Summer Champion |
| NA | 2 | TSM | NA LCS Champ Points |
| NA | 3 | Cloud9 | Regional Finals Winner |
| LMS | 1 | ahq eSports Club | LMS Summer Champion |
| LMS | 2 | Flash Wolves | Regional Finals Winner |
International Wildcard Qualifiers (IWC)
| Region | Seed | Team | Qualification Path |
|---|---|---|---|
| SEA | 1 | Bangkok Titans | IWCQ (Turkey) Winner |
| BR | 1 | paiN Gaming | IWCQ (Chile) Winner |
Results: Group Stage
Cloud9 started 3-0 in Week 1 but went 0-4 in Week 2 (including tiebreaker) to be eliminated. Europe showed strength with both Fnatic and Origen advancing confidently.
Group A
| Team | Rec |
|---|---|
| Flash Wolves 2-0 vs KOO | 4-2 |
| KOO Tigers | 4-2 |
| Counter Logic Gaming | 2-4 |
| paiN Gaming | 2-4 |
Group B
| Team | Rec |
|---|---|
| Fnatic | 4-2 |
| ahq eSports Club Won Tiebreaker | 3-3 |
| Cloud9 Lost Tiebreaker | 3-3 |
| Invictus Gaming | 2-4 |
Group C
| Team | Rec |
|---|---|
| SK Telecom T1 | 6-0 |
| EDward Gaming | 4-2 |
| H2K | 2-4 |
| Bangkok Titans | 0-6 |
Group D
| Team | Rec |
|---|---|
| KT Rolster | 5-1 |
| Origen | 4-2 |
| LGD Gaming | 2-4 |
| TSM | 1-5 |
Knockout Stage
Finals: SK Telecom T1 defeated KOO Tigers 3-1 in Berlin. SKT went undefeated (15-1) throughout the entire tournament, losing only a single game in the Grand Final.
Venues
Group Stage
Capacity: 3,500
Saint-Denis, Paris, France
Quarterfinals
Capacity: 12,500
Wembley, London, UK
Semifinals
Capacity: 15,000
Laeken, Brussels, Belgium
Grand Final
Capacity: 17,000
Friedrichshain, Berlin, Germany
Overview
The 2014 League of Legends World Championship was the 4th iteration of the tournament, held across Taiwan, Singapore, and South Korea. It is defined by the absolute dominance of the "Samsung Sister Teams" (White and Blue) and features one of the most famous upsets in esports history: KaBuM! Esports defeating Alliance.
Tournament Structure
The event featured 16 teams. Regional seeds were placed into pools to determine the group draw.
Regional Slots
- Major Regions: 3 seeds for Korea, China, Europe, North America.
- SEA/LMS: 2 seeds (Taipei Assassins & ahq).
- Wildcards: 2 seeds determined by IWC tournaments (Gamescom & PAX).
Stage 1: Group Stage (Sep 18 – 28)
16 teams divided into 4 groups of 4.
- Split between Taipei (Groups A/B) and Singapore (Groups C/D).
- Double Round Robin. Matches are Best-of-one.
- Top 2 teams from each group advance to Knockouts.
- Historical Moment: In Group D, Alliance (EU #1) played a perfect game against NaJin White Shield, but was then eliminated after losing to Brazilian wildcard KaBuM! Esports.
Stage 2: Knockout Stage (Oct 3 – 19)
Eight teams enter a single-elimination playoff bracket.
- All matches are Best-of-five.
- Played across Busan and Seoul.
- Samsung White is statistically considered one of the most dominant teams in history, losing only two games during the entire tournament (15-2 record).
Patch Info: Played on Patch 4.14. Alistar top and Zilean mid were high priority picks.
Prize Pool
The total prize pool was $2,130,000 USD:
| Place | Prize | % | Team |
|---|---|---|---|
| 🏆 1st | $1,000,000 | 46.95% | Samsung White |
| 🥈 2nd | $250,000 | 11.74% | Star Horn Royal Club |
| 🥉 3-4 | $150,000 | 7.04% | Samsung Blue, Oh My God |
| 5-8 | $75,000 | 3.52% | TSM, Cloud9, EDward Gaming, NaJin White Shield |
| 9-11 | $45,000 | 2.11% | ahq eSports Club, SK Gaming, Alliance |
| 12-13 | $35,000 | 1.64% | Fnatic, LMQ |
| 14-16 | $25,000 | 1.17% | Dark Passage, Taipei Assassins, KaBuM! Esports |
Participants
Notes: SK Gaming (EU #3) played the first half of groups without their main jungler Svenskeren due to a suspension. LMQ competed as an NA team despite having a full Chinese roster.
Group Stage Seeds (Major Regions)
| Region | Seed | Team | Qualification Path |
|---|---|---|---|
| KR | 1 | Samsung Blue | Circuit Points |
| KR | 2 | Samsung White | Circuit Points |
| KR | 3 | NaJin White Shield | Regional Finals Winner |
| CN | 1 | EDward Gaming | Regional Finals Winner |
| CN | 2 | Star Horn Royal Club | Regional Finals Runner-Up |
| CN | 3 | Oh My God | Regional Finals 3rd |
| EU | 1 | Alliance | EU LCS Summer Champion |
| EU | 2 | Fnatic | EU LCS Summer Runner-Up |
| EU | 3 | SK Gaming | EU LCS Summer 3rd |
| NA | 1 | TSM | NA LCS Summer Champion |
| NA | 2 | Cloud9 | NA LCS Summer Runner-Up |
| NA | 3 | LMQ | NA LCS Summer 3rd |
| SEA | 1 | Taipei Assassins | GPL Summer Champion |
| SEA | 2 | ahq eSports Club | Regional Finals Winner |
International Wildcard Qualifiers (IWC)
| Region | Seed | Team | Qualification Path |
|---|---|---|---|
| TR | 1 | Dark Passage | IWCQ (Gamescom) Winner |
| BR | 1 | KaBuM! Esports | IWCQ (PAX) Winner |
Results: Group Stage
Group C featured a legendary 70-minute game between Fnatic and OMG where Fnatic's nexus was left at 1 HP. Group D saw the first-ever victory for a Brazilian team at Worlds (KaBuM!).
Group A
| Team | Rec |
|---|---|
| Samsung White | 6-0 |
| EDward Gaming Won Tiebreaker | 3-3 |
| ahq eSports Club Lost Tiebreaker | 3-3 |
| Dark Passage | 0-6 |
Group B
| Team | Rec |
|---|---|
| Star Horn Royal Club | 5-1 |
| TSM | 4-2 |
| SK Gaming | 2-4 |
| Taipei Assassins | 1-5 |
Group C
| Team | Rec |
|---|---|
| Samsung Blue | 5-1 |
| Oh My God | 3-3 |
| Fnatic One hit on Nexus vs OMG | 2-4 |
| LMQ | 2-4 |
Group D
| Team | Rec |
|---|---|
| NaJin White Shield Won Tiebreaker | 4-2 |
| Cloud9 Lost Tiebreaker | 4-2 |
| Alliance Upset by KaBuM! | 3-3 |
| KaBuM! Esports Historic win vs ALL | 1-5 |
Knockout Stage
Finals: Samsung White defeated Star Horn Royal Club 3-1 at the Seoul World Cup Stadium. Support player Mata was named the tournament MVP.
Venues
Groups A & B
Capacity: 4,200
Taipei, Taiwan
Groups C & D
Capacity: 10,000
Tampines, Singapore
Quarterfinals
Capacity: 4,000
Haeundae-gu, Busan, South Korea
Grand Final
Capacity: 66,000
Mapo-gu, Seoul, South Korea
Overview
The 2013 League of Legends World Championship was the 3rd iteration of the tournament, held entirely in Los Angeles, USA. It marked the beginning of the Korean dynasty, with SK Telecom T1 and the superstar rookie "Faker" capturing the Summoner's Cup at the Staples Center.
Tournament Structure
A unique format featuring 14 teams, where top seeds from major regions received byes.
Regional Slots
- Direct Quarterfinal Byes: 4 teams (Korea #1, China #1, NA #1, LMS #1). Note: Europe did not receive a bye due to finishing last at All-Stars 2013.
- Group Stage Entrants: 10 teams (3 EU, 2 KR, 2 NA, 1 CN, 1 SEA, 1 Wildcard).
Stage 1: Group Stage (Sep 15 – 21)
10 teams divided into 2 groups of 5.
- Double Round Robin. Matches were Best-of-one.
- Top 2 teams from each group advanced to join the seeded teams in the Quarterfinals.
- Gambit Gaming famously defeated Samsung Ozone in a tiebreaker to advance, eliminating the Korean 2nd seed early.
Stage 2: Knockout Stage (Sep 23 – Oct 4)
Eight teams (4 Byes + 4 Group Advancers) in a single-elimination bracket.
- Quarterfinals were Best-of-three.
- Semifinals and Finals were Best-of-five.
- The Grand Final was watched by over 32 million people worldwide.
Patch Info: Played on Patch 3.11. This era is known for the rise of Assassin mid laners (Ahri, Zed, Fizz).
Prize Pool
The total prize pool was $2,050,000 USD:
| Place | Prize | % | Team |
|---|---|---|---|
| 🏆 1st | $1,000,000 | 48.78% | SK Telecom T1 |
| 🥈 2nd | $250,000 | 12.2% | Royal Club |
| 🥉 3-4 | $150,000 | 7.32% | NaJin Black Sword, Fnatic |
| 5-8 | $75,000 | 3.66% | Gamania Bears, Gambit Gaming, Oh My God, Cloud9 |
| 9-10 | $45,000 | 2.2% | Lemondogs, Samsung Ozone |
| 11-12 | $30,000 | 1.46% | TSM, Team Vulcun |
| 13-14 | $25,000 | 1.22% | GamingGear.eu, Mineski |
Participants
Notes: SK Telecom T1 qualified as the Korean #3 seed through the Regional Finals, meaning they had to play through the Group Stage despite eventually winning the tournament.
Direct Quarterfinal Byes
| Region | Seed | Team | Qualification Path |
|---|---|---|---|
| KR | 1 | NaJin Black Sword | Circuit Points |
| CN | 1 | Royal Club | Regional Finals Winner |
| NA | 1 | Cloud9 | NA LCS Summer Champion |
| LMS | 1 | Gamania Bears | Regional Finals Winner |
Group Stage Participants
| Region | Seed | Team | Qualification Path |
|---|---|---|---|
| KR | 2 | Samsung Ozone | Circuit Points |
| KR | 3 | SK Telecom T1 | Regional Finals Winner |
| CN | 2 | Oh My God | Regional Finals Runner-Up |
| EU | 1 | Fnatic | EU LCS Summer Champion |
| EU | 2 | Lemondogs | EU LCS Summer Runner-Up |
| EU | 3 | Gambit Gaming | EU LCS Summer 3rd |
| NA | 2 | TSM | NA LCS Summer Runner-Up |
| NA | 3 | Team Vulcun | NA LCS Summer 3rd |
| SEA | 1 | Mineski | Regional Finals Winner |
| CIS | 1 | GamingGear.eu | IWC Qualifier Winner |
Results: Group Stage
Group B was particularly volatile, with Fnatic dominating. The European squad Gambit Gaming secured the final spot by defeating the heavy Korean favorites Samsung Ozone in a tiebreaker.
Group A
| Team | Rec |
|---|---|
| SK Telecom T1 | 7-1 |
| Oh My God | 7-1 |
| Lemondogs | 3-5 |
| TSM | 2-6 |
| GamingGear.eu | 1-7 |
Group B
| Team | Rec |
|---|---|
| Fnatic | 7-1 |
| Gambit Gaming Won Tiebreaker | 5-3 |
| Samsung Ozone Lost Tiebreaker | 5-3 |
| Team Vulcun | 3-5 |
| Mineski | 0-8 |
Knockout Stage
Finals: SK Telecom T1 swept Royal Club 3-0 in front of a sold-out Staples Center. This victory marked the first World Championship title for the legendary mid laner Faker.
Venues
Group Stage & Quarterfinals
Capacity: Studio
Culver City, CA
Semifinals
Capacity: 10,000
USC, Los Angeles, CA
Grand Final
Capacity: 18,000+
Downtown Los Angeles, CA
Overview
The 2012 League of Legends World Championship (Season 2) was the tournament that truly put LoL Esports on the map. Held in Los Angeles, it featured a massive $2 Million prize pool. It is legendary for the underdog victory of the Taipei Assassins and the technical issues that led to the "Silver Scrapes" legacy.
Tournament Structure
A 12-team tournament featuring regional seeds and direct byes.
Regional Slots
- Direct Quarterfinal Byes: 4 Regional Winners (TSM, M5, WE, TPA). Note: Korea's Azubu Frost was also a #1 seed but was randomly drawn to play in the Group Stage.
- Group Stage Entrants: 8 teams (2 KR, 2 EU, 2 NA, 1 CN, 1 SEA).
Stage 1: Group Stage (Oct 4)
8 teams divided into 2 groups of 4.
- Single Round Robin. Matches were Best-of-one.
- Top 2 teams from each group advanced to join the seeded teams in the Quarterfinals.
- Korean teams Azubu Frost and NaJin Sword dominated their respective groups with perfect 3-0 records.
Stage 2: Knockout Stage (Oct 5 – 13)
Eight teams (4 Byes + 4 Group Advancers) in a single-elimination bracket.
- Quarterfinals and Semifinals were Best-of-three.
- The Grand Final was Best-of-five.
- The Quarterfinal between Team WE and CLG.EU suffered massive internet outages, delaying the match for days and giving birth to the "Silver Scrapes" meme.
Patch Info: Played on Patch 1.0.0.147. Rengar, Syndra, and Kha'Zix were globally banned.
Prize Pool
The total prize pool was $2,000,000 USD, the largest in esports history at the time:
| Place | Prize | % | Team |
|---|---|---|---|
| 🏆 1st | $1,000,000 | 50% | Taipei Assassins |
| 🥈 2nd | $250,000 | 12.5% | Azubu Frost |
| 🥉 3-4 | $150,000 | 7.5% | Moscow Five, CLG Europe |
| 5-8 | $75,000 | 3.75% | Invictus Gaming, NaJin Sword, TSM, Team WE |
| 9-10 | $50,000 | 2.5% | CLG Prime, Saigon Jokers |
| 11-12 | $25,000 | 1.25% | SK Gaming, Dignitas |
Participants
Notes: Five regions sent #1 seeds, but only four bye slots were available. A random draw determined that Azubu Frost (Korea) would play in the Group Stage.
Direct Quarterfinal Byes
| Region | Seed | Team | Qualification Path |
|---|---|---|---|
| NA | 1 | TSM | NA Regional Winner |
| CN | 1 | Team WE | China Regional Winner |
| EU | 1 | Moscow Five | EU Regional Winner |
| LMS | 1 | Taipei Assassins | TW/HK/MO Regional Winner |
Group Stage Participants
| Region | Seed | Team | Qualification Path |
|---|---|---|---|
| KR | 1 | Azubu Frost | KR Regional Winner (Drawn into Groups) |
| KR | 2 | NaJin Sword | KR Regional Runner-Up |
| CN | 2 | Invictus Gaming | China Regional Runner-Up |
| EU | 2 | SK Gaming | EU Regional Runner-Up |
| EU | 3 | CLG Europe | EU Regional 3rd |
| NA | 2 | Dignitas | NA Regional Runner-Up |
| NA | 3 | CLG Prime | NA Regional 3rd |
| SEA | 1 | Saigon Jokers | SEA Regional Winner |
Results: Group Stage
Korean teams went undefeated (6-0 combined) in groups. Saigon Jokers upset Dignitas in Group B, marking a significant moment for the SEA region.
Group A
| Team | Rec |
|---|---|
| Azubu Frost | 3-0 |
| Invictus Gaming | 2-1 |
| CLG Prime | 1-2 |
| SK Gaming | 0-3 |
Group B
| Team | Rec |
|---|---|
| NaJin Sword | 3-0 |
| CLG Europe | 2-1 |
| Saigon Jokers | 1-2 |
| Dignitas | 0-3 |
Knockout Stage
Finals: The Taipei Assassins shocked the world, defeating the Korean juggernauts Azubu Frost 3-1 to win the Summoner's Cup in one of the greatest underdog stories ever.
Venues
Group Stage & Quarterfinals
Capacity: Outdoor
Downtown Los Angeles, CA
Semifinals & Grand Final
Capacity: 10,258
Jefferson Blvd, Los Angeles, CA
Overview
The Season 1 World Championship was the inaugural global tournament for League of Legends, held at DreamHack Summer in Sweden. With a total prize pool of just under $100,000, it laid the foundation for the massive esports ecosystem that followed.
Tournament Structure
The tournament featured 8 teams from North America, Europe, and Southeast Asia.
Regional Slots
- Europe & North America: 3 teams each.
- Southeast Asia: 2 teams (Philippines & Singapore).
- Note: Korea and China did not yet have official servers or representatives.
Stage 1: Group Stage (June 18)
8 teams divided into 2 groups of 4.
- Single Round Robin. Matches were Best-of-one.
- 1st Place: Advanced directly to Upper Bracket Semifinals.
- 2nd & 3rd Place: Advanced to Upper Bracket Quarterfinals.
- 4th Place: Eliminated.
Stage 2: Playoffs (June 19–20)
Double Elimination Bracket.
- Matches were Best-of-three (except the 5th place match).
- The Grand Final featured a 1-game advantage for the Upper Bracket winner.
- Fnatic defeated against All authority (aAa) to become the first World Champions.
Historical Note: The meta was famously defined by the clash between the European "ADC + Support bot lane" style and the North American "Roaming Alistar / Bruiser bot" style. Europe's style prevailed.
Prize Pool
The total prize pool was $99,500 USD:
| Place | Prize | % | Team |
|---|---|---|---|
| 🏆 1st | $50,000 | 50.25% | Fnatic |
| 🥈 2nd | $25,000 | 25.13% | against All authority |
| 🥉 3rd | $10,000 | 10.05% | TSM |
| 4th | $7,000 | 7.04% | Epik Gamer |
| 5th | $3,500 | 3.52% | Counter Logic Gaming |
| 6th | $2,000 | 2.01% | Team gamed!de |
| 7-8th | $1,000 | 1.01% | Xan, Team Pacific |
Participants
Notes: TSM, Epik Gamer, and CLG represented North America. Fnatic, aAa, and gamed!de represented Europe.
| Region | Seed | Team | Qualification Path |
|---|---|---|---|
| EU | 1 | against All authority | Regional Qualifier Winner |
| EU | 2 | Team gamed!de | Regional Qualifier Runner-Up |
| EU | 3 | Fnatic | Regional Qualifier 3rd |
| NA | 1 | TSM | Regional Qualifier Winner |
| NA | 2 | Epik Gamer | Regional Qualifier Runner-Up |
| NA | 3 | Counter Logic Gaming | Regional Qualifier 3rd |
| SEA | 1 | Team Pacific | Philippines Qualifier |
| SEA | 1 | Xan | Singapore Qualifier |
Results: Group Stage
Epik Gamer went undefeated in Group A. Fnatic struggled early, finishing 1-2, but managed to qualify for the playoffs as the 3rd seed.
Group A
| Team | Rec |
|---|---|
| Epik Gamer to UB Semis | 3-0 |
| against All authority to UB Quarters | 2-1 |
| Fnatic to UB Quarters | 1-2 |
| Team Pacific | 0-3 |
Group B
| Team | Rec |
|---|---|
| TSM to UB Semis | 2-1 |
| Counter Logic Gaming to UB Quarters | 2-1 |
| Team gamed!de to UB Quarters | 1-2 |
| Xan | 1-2 |
Playoffs (Double Elimination)
Finals: Fnatic made a miracle run from the lower seeds to defeat aAa 2-1 in the Grand Final (starting with a 1-0 advantage due to coming from the Upper Bracket).
Venues
All Stages
Type: Convention
Elmia Exhibition Centre, Jönköping, Sweden
Archive
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