The countdown has begun—four teams have fallen, and fifteen remain as we dive into the exhilarating journey to crown this year’s League of Legends World Champion. But even in the early moments of the play-in phase, surprises abound, as one major region faced an unexpected setback.
The early exit of 100 Thieves, after a decisive loss to PSG Talon in the lower bracket final, has sent shockwaves through their fanbase, leaving them wondering what went wrong on this grand stage. As we gear up for the Swiss Stage with the first round matchups officially determined, the atmosphere is electric with anticipation. Defending champions T1 will kick off their title defense against the formidable Top Esports. Meanwhile, fans from the LEC are brimming with hope, as G2 has drawn paiN Gaming, and Fnatic faces off against Dplus KIA. However, the MAD Lions and KOI supporters caught their breath as they drew the powerful Bilibili Gaming, the kings of the LPL’s summer split.
In a recent interview with Dot Esports, Supa expressed a burning desire to confront a North American team for sweet revenge—yet it appears he’ll have to held in anticipation for that face-off.
The fruits of GAM Esports’ successful Play-In Stage campaign are on the horizon, as they gear up for a challenging first-round matchup against FlyQuest. Meanwhile, PSG Talon is set to clash with the LCK Summer champions, Hanwha Life Esports—a match that promises to be a fierce battle. Other thrilling matchups include Team Liquid versus LNG Esports and Weibo Gaming taking on the powerhouse Gen.G, who loom large in this second pool.
This year’s League of Legends World Championship will be a dynamic journey, weaving through the iconic cities of Berlin, Paris, and London as they vie to discover the ultimate champion. The Swiss Stage will unfold in two phases: from October 3 to 7, and then, after a brief intermission, the final placements will be decided between October 10 and 13.
On the first game day, all matches will be best-of-one, creating a high-stakes atmosphere for every confrontation. Notably, October 4 will spotlight all 1-0 and 0-1 matchups—also adhering to a best-of-one format. After that whirlwind of initial matches, teams that survive will enter their own dedicated game days, where the battles will shift to best-of-three as they trudge closer to their ultimate destiny.
The stage is set, the excitement is palpable, and the road to becoming the world’s best team is brimming with potential! Let the games begin!
