The 2024 League of Legends World Championship has been one of the most anticipated events in the world of eSports. League of Legends Worlds 2024 marked the 14th edition of the event and the fifth time overall, as well as the first since 2021, that the competition took place in Europe. From September 25th to November 2nd, three of the continent’s largest cities hosted one of the most exciting League of Legends tournaments ever. In the end, it was the T1 team who successfully defended the title after an epic battle.
Europe as a point of reference
This year the League of Legends World Championship returned to Europe for the first time since 2021, when Reykjavík hosted the top teams. This is a significant step forward for the event, as Berlin, Paris and London — three of the most attractive cities in the world — welcomed the championship hosted by developer Riot Games. The game has expanded globally, and this edition further demonstrated how it has reached a peak of popularity in the Old Continent as well. The three host cities added a unique touch to the competition, with numerous viewing parties spread around and with Europe’s biggest esports event of the year made accessible to a wider audience, giving them an unforgettable esports fan experience.
Tournament format: Knockout stage
Teams from each region initially competed in local competitions, hoping to gain a pass to the main event. The first phase of the 2024 World Cup was held at the Riot Games Arena in Berlin from September 25th to 29th. Four of the eight participating teams qualified for the Swiss phase, where 16 teams competed in a five-round Swiss system. From this tournament emerged the eight teams that gained access to the knockout stage.
The eight professional League of Legends teams remaining in the competition were drawn into a single-elimination bracket, with the two teams with a 3–0 record in the Swiss stage guaranteed to be on opposite sides of the bracket and facing those with a record of 3–2, while all others were entered at random. With a single-elimination format, the stakes were very high: each defeat led to immediate elimination. Quarter-finals and semi-finals were held in Paris, while the final title battle took place at the O2 Arena in London.
Teams and strength of the regions
Seven of the eight teams that reached the quarterfinals were from Asia. The only exception was FlyQuest, an American group. All four teams that started from the Swiss phase qualified from China — Bilibili Gaming, Top Esports, LNG Esports and Weibo Gaming — while the other three, Hanwha Life Esports, Gen. G and T1, came from South Korea.
The T1 team presented itself as the reigning champion, but, according to esports forecasts, was only in sixth place this year. However, he proved to be the most reliable of the esports betting tips in the quarterfinals, dominating Top Esports with a clear 3-0. They showed superior strategy and excellent coordination, effectively countering their opponents’ aggressive playing style.
Another South Korean team, Gen.G, also successfully advanced to the quarterfinals by defeating FlyQuest 3-1. The American team had managed to tie the series at 1-1, but Gen.G took control of the match after the defeat, imposing itself in the subsequent clashes.
Less fortunate was Hanwha Life Esports, defeated 3-1 by the Chinese Bilibili Gaming, who demonstrated an excellent strategy and great competitive spirit.
In the most even match of the quarterfinals, LNG Esports got the better of Weibo Gaming with a difficult 3-2.
The semi-finals provided even more emotions. T1 confirmed its strength by reaching the final thanks to a 3-1 win over Gen.G. In the other match, Bilibili Gaming imposed itself in an even more authoritarian way, signing the pass to the final with a clear 3-0.
The finals: a closer look
The last act took place at the O2 Arena in London, in front of 14,700 spectators. For T1 it was the third consecutive final, but, despite being the title holders, according to the predictions LNG Esports started as favourites.
The atmosphere became heated when the series reached the fifth and decisive game. LNG Esports opened with a kill score of 18-3, but T1 responded with the same kills as Esports to even the score. BLG then regained the lead with a 17-3 run in Game 3, coming within a hair’s breadth of victory. However, T1 proved once again that they are the best team in the world, reacting great in critical moments. First he forced the decisive Game 5 with a 14-9, then he won the title with a 12-6 in a match that lasted over 32 minutes.
Faker (T1) was elected MVP of the World Championship, while the entire team was awarded prize money of 450,000 dollars.
Among the highlights of the championship finals were the unprecedented interaction with fans through in-game missions, exclusive skins and special digital objects. The fantasy picks chosen by the public added further excitement to the event, and social media was literally flooded with fan involvement.
The League of Legends Worlds 2024 set new global audience records, confirming its status as one of the most-watched competitive e-gaming events in the world. With live broadcasts across multiple platforms in over 20 languages, the tournament surpassed any previous peak in concurrent viewers, reaching over 6 million viewers during the final.
Regions such as China, Korea and Europe played a key role in these results, with Chinese streaming platforms being key contributors to the huge viewership. The addition of innovative technologies, such as the integration of augmented reality and various fan engagement events, has made the experience even more attractive for new viewers and veterans alike.
A look ahead to 2025
Looking to the 2025 season, T1 is undoubtedly the team to beat, but with the failure to reconfirm Zeus we could see numerous roster changes in the coming months. Regardless of how the teams look next season, the 2024 League of Legends Worlds proved that the game is gaining increasing popularity in Europe and North America. We look forward to the next regional tournaments and the next global event, certain that the show will live up to expectations also for fans of esports predictions, esports betting tips and lovers of the best esports results.
