Worlds 2023: T1 Win First Title Since 2016

The 2023 League of Legends World Championships, better known as Worlds 2023, represents a major change for the long-running tournament. Ahead of the 2023 pro season, Riot Games announced that major format changes would be coming to the season-ending tournament. Since 2017, the tournament has operated a play-in stage, a group stage, and a knockout stage.

Starting in 2023, the scope of the play-in stage will be reduced and modified. Firstly, the play-in will no longer feature teams from South Korea or China. Furthermore, a maximum of one team from Europe or North America will be present. The last of the eight teams to qualify for the play-in stage will be determined by a preliminary qualification tournament.

Furthermore, the Worlds Qualifying Series will pit the fourth seed from Europe against the fourth seed from North America. Subsequently, The winner of this best-of-five series will compete in the Worlds play-in stage. Additionally, this was won by Team BDS, who beat Golden Guardians.

Additionally, the Worlds group stage has been replaced by a Swiss Stage format. Furthermore, teams will play a maximum of five matches, with their opponents determined by their previous results. Subsequently, the top eight teams in the Swiss Stage will progress to an unchanged single-elimination bracket.

Worlds 2023 will be held between October 10 and November 19, 2023.

Worlds 2023 is being hosted by South Korea. Games will be played in Seoul and Busan. Furthermore, the Grand Final will be hosted at Gocheok Sky Dome, a domed baseball stadium in Seoul. Additionally, it is the first time since 2018 that South Korea has hosted Worlds.

The Worlds 2023 song is "GODS" and is performed by K-Pop group, New Jeans. The video follows the journey of 2022 champion Deft from high school to the Worlds trophy.

The prize pool for Worlds varies each year. There is a base prize pool provided by Riot Games. Furthermore, the prize pool is supplemented by the sale of in-game events and tickets for the event. However, the prize pool for the Worlds 2022 is $2.25 million. In 2022, the tournament champions received 22%, or $489,500, of the prize pool. Additionally, Riot has announced that Worlds 2023 will also have a prize pool of $2.25 million.

Worlds 2022 was won by LCK team DRX. Furthermore, they defeated fellow Korean team T1 in a thrilling Grand Final in San Francisco. However, DRX failed to qualify for Worlds 2023, finishing fifth in the LCK. This means that Worlds 2023 will be the first tournament since Worlds 2020 to not feature the reigning Worlds champion.

At the 2023 Grand Final, Riot announced that Europe would host Worlds 2024. The Grand Final is due to be held at the O2 Arena in London.

22 teams will qualify for Worlds 2023 based on their performance in their regional Summer split. Furthermore, the 22 places at Worlds 2023 are divided as follows:

Qualified for Worlds 2023 Swiss Stage

Qualified for Worlds 2023 Play-In Stage

However, three regions will no longer be represented at Worlds from 2023. Firstly, the TCL, which represents Turkey, vacated its Worlds spot to become part of the European Region League system. Similarly, the LCO, which represents Oceania, vacated its Worlds spot and will seek qualification through the PCS. Finally, the LCL, which represents Russia, has been suspended since the Russian Invasion of Ukraine in February 2022.

With the elimination of Team Bliss and Chiefs Esports Club from the PCS playoffs, Worlds 2023 will be the first since 2016 not to feature any teams from Oceania.

The Worlds 2023 Play-In Stage will be conducted using the GSL format. The top two teams from each group qualify for a best-of-five series. The winners of those series will then qualify for the Swiss stage. Furthermore, the Worlds Play In stage began on October 10. Additionally, Team BDS secured their place in the Group Stage with a 3-0 win over Golden Guardians in the Worlds Qualifying Series.

October 9: Worlds Qualifying Series

Group A

Group B

Knockout

Furthermore, NRG's qualification means a North American team makes it to the knockouts for the first time since 2021.

Quarterfinals

Semifinals

Grand Final

This is Weibo Gaming's first final. However, Suning reached the final in 2020. The Suning brand was acquired by Weibo a year later. Furthermore, this is T1's sixth final. They are looking for their fourth Worlds title and first since 2016.

In the Grand Final on November 19, T1 defeated Weibo Gaming 3-0. Furthermore, Riot Games announced that 2024 would be a European-hosted Worlds, with a Grand Final at the O2 Arena in London.

Additionally, here are the stats for KDA leaders and champion presence. Furthermore, these stats change daily and are updated as such. Meanwhile, Gen.G's entire lineup dominated the KDA standings for most of the Swiss stage. Orianna maintained a 100% pick/ban rate for much of the Swiss Stage. However, she fell to 95% after the October 27 matches.

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