League of Legends World Championship 2021: How to Watch

The 2021 League of Legends World Championship begins tomorrow, Tuesday, Oct. 5! We’ve got all the details for when and where you can watch this exciting, month-long event.

What is the League of Legends World Championship?

Our guide will walk you through everything you need to know about the League of Legends World Championship (affectionately known as “Worlds” to LoL players). But let’s start with the big question: what, exactly, is this championship?

Basically, this is the major culminating event for the different League of Legends eSports in any given year. Different players and teams compete throughout the year to qualify, and qualifying teams now face off for the big championship.

The championship in question takes place in the Laugardalshöll indoor sporting arena in scenic Reykjavík, Iceland. While no fans can physically attend the event due to COVID-19 safety precautions, you can easily stream the event throughout the month.

But you may need to set your alarm. Since the event takes place in Iceland, people in the U.S. have to wake up pretty early to watch certain events.

Who are the major players?

When you get over the fact that it’s video games instead of physical sports, then Worlds is a lot like a major soccer championship. And just as soccer tournaments have standout athletes, Worlds has several teams you can root for.

For example, the U.S. is well-represented with three different teams this year. These teams include the scrappy Cloud9, the reliable Team Liquid, and the currently-on-fire team 100 Thieves.

Europe, too, has multiple teams in attendance. These teams include Fnatic, Rogue, and MAD Lions. But American and European teams will be hard-pressed to beat their rivals from China and Korea.

China is bringing no less than four teams to Worlds, and all of them are prestigious members of China’s League of Legends Pro League (LPL). Meanwhile, Korea is bringing T1 (which has arguably the most famous LoL player ever, Faker) and Damwon Gaming (the reigning champs from last year).

Regardless of who you root for, this should be a hell of a competition!

When does the tournament take place?

The Worlds tournament structure is fairly simple. We start with 10 teams that are split into two groups and must compete for to advance. These initial Play In games will be broadcast from 7 a.m. ET on Oct. 5 through Oct. 9.

Next, groups will fight it out in the Group Stage before moving on to the Knockout Stage. The Group Stage has two rounds: one from Oct. 11–13 and one from Oct. 15–18.

Finally, we get to the Knockout Stage. This is where a single-elimination bracket determines who the best of the best is. This stage plays out over three weekends: quarter-finals from Oct. 22–25, semi-finals Oct. 30–31, and finals on Nov. 6.

When and where to watch Worlds

Now we get to the most important part: how can you tune in and watch?

On Twitch, the easiest way to do so is through the Riot Games channel. Over on YouTube, the easiest way is to tune into the LoL esports channel. Or you can cut the middle man out and view everything directly through the official League of Legends eSports website.

Not sure what to tune in for? Don’t forget to check out the full schedule right here!