The League of Legends World Championship will undergo format changes starting in 2023. Riot Games, the company behind the game, announced these changes today. Fans can expect major adjustments, including a preliminary match between Europe and North America, a shift to Swiss-style formatting for the group stage, and more best-of matches before the main event begins.
An EU-NA grudge match will kick off the tournament. The fourth seeds from the LCS and LEC will compete in a best-of-five match called the “Worlds Qualification Series” (WQS). In the past, both EU and NA could send their fourth seeds to Worlds, but now they will have to vie for the spot in the play-in stage.
The play-in stage will also see significant changes. The group stage will be replaced with two brackets consisting of best-of-three matches. Eight teams will start in the play-in stage, and the top two from the initial bracket will advance to the main event.
A new type of group stage will be introduced, replacing the traditional format. The Swiss-style stage will include 16 teams, with 14 qualifying from regional leagues and two from the play-in stage. Teams with the same record will compete against each other, ensuring fair matchups. Advancement to the knockout portion of the tournament requires three wins, while losing three games means elimination.
The knockout stage will remain unchanged, with single elimination being the standard. This format guarantees that every game at Worlds has high stakes, with no second chances or breathing room for teams.
These format changes aim to enhance the competition and excitement of the League of Legends World Championship. Stay tuned for more updates on this exciting event.
League of Legends, World Championship, Worlds, format changes, preliminary match, play-in stage, group stage, Swiss-style stage, knockout stage.