Western League of Legends Teams Thriving in Swiss Stage of Worlds Championship
The League of Legends World Championship is well underway, and after the first two days of the Swiss stage, it appears that the Western LoL leagues are coming out on top. Each of the LCS and LEC squads has performed well, positioning themselves to continue in the tournament and potentially make a strong run in the next round.
The Swiss format has proven to be advantageous for Western teams. If they are struggling, they do so together, and if Western teams are struggling, they have a higher chance of facing off against underdogs from minor regions or other major-region teams who are also underperforming. In the past, the West faced difficulties when their groups were heavily stacked against them, making it challenging for struggling teams to climb in the second week of the group stage. However, the Swiss stage provides a more fair opportunity for teams with losing or middling records, particularly since the strongest teams will be on the upper side of the Swiss bracket.
Of course, there is still an element of luck involved. For example, G2 could have had a tough draw against tournament favorites JD Gaming, but instead, they will face Gen.G, a more favorable matchup. MAD Lions, the third seed from the LEC, has been incredibly fortunate with their draws, avoiding powerhouse teams from the LPL and LCK. While MAD Lions may not be as strong as teams like C9 and G2, their matchups against other LCS and LEC teams work in their favor.
Teams like C9, Fnatic, and NRG are currently in best-of-one mode, while Team Liquid is on the edge of elimination after back-to-back losses against T1 and NRG. Their next match against GAM Esports is their last chance to stay in the tournament. Fortunately for Liquid, GAM appears to be one of the weaker teams at Worlds, compared to Dplus KIA and Team BDS, who would have posed greater challenges for Liquid.
Western LoL Squads’ Records After Day Two of Worlds Swiss Stage
Here are the records for the Western LoL squads after the second day of the Swiss stage:
| Team | Current Record | Next Opponent |
| G2 Esports | 2-0 | Gen.G (Bo3) |
| Cloud9 | 1-1 | T1 (Bo1) |
| NRG Esports | 1-1 | MAD Lions (Bo1) |
| MAD Lions | 1-1 | NRG Esports (Bo1) |
| Fnatic | 1-1 | Bilibili Gaming (Bo1) |
| Team Liquid | 0-2 | GAM Esports (Bo3) |
| Team BDS | 0-2 | Dplus KIA (Bo3) |
Among these teams, Team BDS has had the toughest draw, facing potential world champions JD Gaming and now former champions Dplus KIA. Fnatic also faces challenges with upcoming matches against LNG and Bilibili, two strong Chinese teams.
As always, Western teams find it difficult to avoid tough matchups against the LCK and LPL. However, the Swiss format offers a more level playing field, increasing the chances of Western teams stealing victories against the top Eastern squads.
The competition will continue on October 21 with the JDG vs. LNG match, followed by G2 vs. Gen.G. On October 22, C9 will take on T1.