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EDward Gaming Overview
The 2021 League of Legends World Championship was the 11th iteration of the tournament. Originally planned for China, the event was moved to Reykjavík, Iceland due to the global pandemic. It was played without a live audience in the Laugardalshöll arena.
Tournament Structure
The event is divided into three stages: Play-In, Group Stage, and Knockout Stage.
Regional Slots
- China (LPL) & Korea (LCK): 4 teams each
- Europe (LEC): 3 teams (
Rogue promoted to Groups due to VCS absence) - North America (LCS): 3 teams
- PCS: 2 teams
- Vietnam (VCS): Unable to attend
- Wildcards: 1 team each from LJL, LCL, LLA, LCO, TCL, CBLOL
Stage 1: Play-In (Oct 5–9)
10 teams split into two groups of 5.
- Group Stage: Single Round Robin. 1st place advances directly.
- Knockout: 3rd and 4th play a Bo5; winner faces the 2nd place of the opposite group for the final slots.
- 4 teams advance to the Group Stage.
Stage 2: Group Stage (Oct 11–18)
16 teams (12 Direct + 4 Play-In) divided into 4 groups (A, B, C, D).
- Double Round Robin. Matches are Best-of-one.
- Top 2 teams from each group advance to Knockouts.
- Tiebreaker Rules: No limits. Group D famously featured a historic 4-way tie (all teams 3-3).
Stage 3: Knockout Stage (Oct 22 – Nov 6)
Eight teams enter a single-elimination playoff bracket.
- All matches are Best-of-five.
- Quarterfinals pair Group Winners vs Group Runners-up.
- Side Selection: Coin flip determines side for Game 1 in Semis/Finals.
Patch Info: Played on Patch 11.19.
Prize Pool
The prize pool was $2,225,000 USD (plus revenue share):
| Place | Prize | % | Team |
|---|---|---|---|
| 🏆 1st | $489,500 | 22% | EDward Gaming |
| 🥈 2nd | $333,750 | 15% |  DWG KIA |
| 🥉 3-4 | $178,000 | 8% |  T1,  Gen.G |
| 5-8 | $100,125 | 4.5% |  Royal Never Give Up,  MAD Lions,  Cloud9,  Hanwha Life Esports |
| 9-11 | $55,625 | 2.5% |  100 Thieves,  PSG Talon, Rogue |
| 12-13 | $52,843.75 | 2.375% |  Team Liquid,  LNG Esports |
| 14-16 | $50,062.50 | 2.25% |  FunPlus Phoenix,  DetonatioN FocusMe,  Fnatic |
| 17-18 | $38,937.50 | 1.75% |  Beyond Gaming,  PEACE |
| 19-20 | $27,812.50 | 1.25% |  Galatasaray Esports,  RED Canids |
| 21-22 | $22,250 | 1% |  INFINITY,  Unicorns of Love |
Participating Teams
Notes: VCS teams could not travel. Rogue (LEC #3) was promoted directly to Groups. Play-In field was reduced to 10 teams.
Directly Qualified for Group Stage
- EDward Gaming CN Seed 1 · LPL Summer Champion
EDward Gaming CN
- TOP
- Flandre
- JNG
- Jiejie
- MID
- Scout
- BOT
- Viper
- SUP
- Meiko
- FunPlus Phoenix CN Seed 2 · LPL Champ Points
FunPlus Phoenix CN
- TOP
- Nuguri
- JNG
- Tian
- MID
- Doinb
- BOT
- Lwx
- SUP
- Crisp
- Royal Never Give Up CN Seed 3 · Regional Finals Winner
Royal Never Give Up CN
- TOP
- Xiaohu
- JNG
- Wei
- MID
- Cryin
- BOT
- GALA
- SUP
- Ming
- DWG KIA KR Seed 1 · LCK Summer Champion
DWG KIA KR
- TOP
- Khan
- JNG
- Canyon
- MID
- ShowMaker
- BOT
- Ghost
- SUP
- BeryL
- Gen.G KR Seed 2 · LCK Champ Points
Gen.G KR
- TOP
- Rascal / Burdol
- JNG
- Clid
- MID
- Bdd
- BOT
- Ruler
- SUP
- Life
- T1 KR Seed 3 · Regional Finals Winner
T1 KR
- TOP
- Canna
- JNG
- Oner
- MID
- Faker
- BOT
- Gumayusi
- SUP
- Keria
- MAD Lions EMEA Seed 1 · LEC Summer Champion
MAD Lions EMEA
- TOP
- Armut
- JNG
- Elyoya
- MID
- Humanoid
- BOT
- Carzzy
- SUP
- Kaiser
- Fnatic EMEA Seed 2 · LEC Summer Runner-Up
Fnatic EMEA
- TOP
- Adam
- JNG
- Bwipo
- MID
- Nisqy
- BOT
- Bean
- SUP
- Hylissang
- Rogue EMEA Seed 3 · LEC Summer 3rd (Promoted)
Rogue EMEA
- TOP
- Odoamne
- JNG
- Inspired
- MID
- Larssen
- BOT
- Hans sama
- SUP
- Trymbi
- 100 Thieves AME Seed 1 · LCS Championship Winner
100 Thieves AME
- TOP
- Ssumday
- JNG
- Closer
- MID
- Abbedagge
- BOT
- FBI
- SUP
- huhi
- Team Liquid AME Seed 2 · LCS Championship Runner-Up
Team Liquid AME
- TOP
- Alphari
- JNG
- Santorin
- MID
- Jensen
- BOT
- Tactical
- SUP
- CoreJJ
- PSG Talon APAC Seed 1 · PCS Summer Champion
PSG Talon APAC
- TOP
- Hanabi
- JNG
- River
- MID
- Maple
- BOT
- Unified
- SUP
- Kaiwing
Qualified for Play-In Stage
- LNG Esports CN Seed 4 · Regional Finals Runner-Up
LNG Esports CN
- TOP
- Ale
- JNG
- Tarzan
- MID
- icon
- BOT
- Light
- SUP
- Iwandy
- Hanwha Life Esports KR Seed 4 · Regional Finals Runner-Up
Hanwha Life Esports KR
- TOP
- Morgan
- JNG
- Willer
- MID
- Chovy
- BOT
- Deft
- SUP
- Vsta
- Cloud9 AME Seed 3 · LCS Championship 3rd
Cloud9 AME
- TOP
- Fudge
- JNG
- Blaber
- MID
- Perkz
- BOT
- Zven
- SUP
- Vulcan
- Beyond Gaming APAC Seed 2 · PCS Summer Runner-Up
Beyond Gaming APAC
- TOP
- PK / Liang
- JNG
- HuSha
- MID
- Maoan
- BOT
- Doggo
- SUP
- Kino
- DetonatioN FocusMe JP Seed 1 · LJL Summer Champion
DetonatioN FocusMe JP
- TOP
- Evi
- JNG
- Steal
- MID
- Aria
- BOT
- Yutapon
- SUP
- Gaeng
- Unicorns of Love CIS Seed 1 · LCL Summer Champion
Unicorns of Love CIS
- TOP
- BOSS
- JNG
- AHaHaCiK
- MID
- Nomanz
- BOT
- Argonavt
- SUP
- SaNTaS
- PEACE OCE Seed 1 · LCO Split 2 Champion
PEACE OCE
- TOP
- Vizicsacsi
- JNG
- Babip
- MID
- Tally
- BOT
- Violet
- SUP
- Aladoric
- Galatasaray Esports TR Seed 1 · TCL Summer Champion
Galatasaray Esports TR
- TOP
- Crazy
- JNG
- Mojito
- MID
- Bolulu
- BOT
- Alive
- SUP
- Zergsting
- RED Canids BR Seed 1 · CBLOL Split 2 Champion
RED Canids BR
- TOP
- Guigo
- JNG
- Aegis
- MID
- Grevthar / Avenger
- BOT
- TitaN
- SUP
- Jojo
- INFINITY LAT Seed 1 · LLA Closing Champion
INFINITY LAT
- TOP
- Buggax
- JNG
- SolidSnake
- MID
- cody
- BOT
- WhiteLotus
- SUP
- Ackerman
Results: Play-In Stage
LNG Esports and DetonatioN FocusMe won their groups to advance directly. DFM became the first Japanese team to reach the Main Event.
Cloud9 and Hanwha Life Esports advanced through the Knockout matches.
Group A
| Pos | Team | Rec |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | LNG Esports | 4-0 |
| 2 | Hanwha Life Esports | 3-1 |
| 3 | PEACE | 2-2 |
| 4 | RED Canids | 1-3 |
| 5 | INFINITY | 0-4 |
Group B
| Pos | Team | Rec |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | DetonatioN FocusMe | 3-1 |
| 2 | Cloud9 | 3-1 |
| 3 | Galatasaray Esports | 2-2 |
| 4 | Beyond Gaming | 1-3 |
| 5 | Unicorns of Love | 1-3 |
Galatasaray Esports Beyond Gaming PEACE RED Canids Hanwha Life Esports Beyond Gaming Cloud9 PEACE Results: Group Stage
Historic tiebreakers in Group A (3-way tie for 2nd) and Group D (4-way tie for 1st).
Group A
| Team | Rec |
|---|---|
| DWG KIA | 6-0 |
| Cloud9 | 2-4 |
| Rogue | 2-4 |
| FunPlus Phoenix | 2-4 |
Group B
| Team | Rec |
|---|---|
| T1 | 5-1 |
| EDward Gaming | 4-2 |
| 100 Thieves | 3-3 |
| DetonatioN FocusMe | 0-6 |
Group C
| Team | Rec |
|---|---|
| Royal Never Give Up | 4-2 |
| Hanwha Life Esports | 4-2 |
| PSG Talon | 3-3 |
| Fnatic | 1-5 |
Group D
| Team | Rec |
|---|---|
| Gen.G | 3-3 |
| MAD Lions | 3-3 |
| LNG Esports | 3-3 |
| Team Liquid | 3-3 |
Knockout Stage
Finals: EDward Gaming defeated defending champions DWG KIA in a grueling 5-game series.
Royal Never Give Up EDward Gaming Gen.G Cloud9 T1 Hanwha Life Esports DWG KIA MAD Lions EDward Gaming Gen.G T1 DWG KIA EDward Gaming DWG KIA EDward Gaming claims the 2021 World Championship title Venues
All Stages
Capacity - 5,500 (0 spectators admitted)
Engjavegur 8, 104 Reykjavík, Iceland