The annual League of Legends (LoL) World Championship is hosted by the game’s developer, Riot Games. Competition is fierce amongst the teams for the Worlds title. The rewards are plentiful, with a glittering Summoner’s Cup, plus a bounty that’s now worth millions of dollars. The final matches are regularly watched by up to 100 million people who love the outstanding skills and strategies of the professional players. From its humble beginnings, LoL’s Worlds has evolved into one of the most celebrated Esports events.
Early Days
Season 1 kicked off in 2011 at the Dreamhack Summer. The prize pool was a modest USD 100,000. Approximately 1.6 million viewers watched eight teams competing for the title. The following year saw the launch of the Worlds Season 2 in Los Angeles. Riot Games increased the prize pool dramatically to USD 5,000,000. The popularity of LoL was expanding as the tournament drew an audience estimated to be more than 8 million viewers. The final itself broke all previous viewing figures as an audience of 1.1 million watched Taipei Assassins beat Azubu Frost. Season 3 drew twelve teams from around the world. Once again, viewers increased, with around 32 million people cheering on their favorite teams.
League of Legends Makes Great Progress
Sixteen teams competed in the Worlds of 2014. The prize pool was worth USD 2.3 million. Teams qualified through regional group stages such as China, Europe, and North America. To make the event even more exciting, two teams would be eligible through wild cards. Interestingly, Riot Games began referring to the World’s by its year rather than a consecutive number. The tournament was far more commercial than before. It included a theme song, “Warriors”, that was performed by the US band, Imagine Dragons. The Grand Final in South Korea drew an audience of at least 27 million people who evidently appreciated the free live streaming of the event.
Increasingly Impressive Worlds
Riot Games introduced several changes to Worlds during 2015. Additional teams were included, reflecting the growing popularity of LoL. Each team also needed a head coach. The tournament was held across Europe and was eventually won by SK Telecom T1. Around 36 million viewers watched their victory. The US was the destination for the following year. Once again, SK Telecom T1 squad was the winner. This time the team was awarded USD 2,028,000 from a total prize pool of USD 5,070,000. Viewers for the Los Angeles final alone reached 14 million.
New Format for 2023
The number of teams allowed to enter Worlds has gradually increased to twenty-four. Audiences have grown accordingly, reaching up to 100 million from 2018 onwards. In 2020, the Final drew a record-breaking 46 million viewers. By 2023, teams qualified through their regional performances. A significant introduction is the two-tier Swiss System format. Check out the latest fixtures in the 1337PRO LCS schedule.