Three Teams Now Confirmed For League of Legends World Championship 2018
Published: Aug 23, 2018
After last week’s SEA Tour Global Conquerors tournament in Manila, which saw Thai esports team Ascension Gaming take the top prize, a total of three teams have now been confirmed in the League of Legends World Championships 2018. South Korea holds this massive event from Oct. 1 to Nov. 3.
Ascension ascends
Ascension Gaming saw off competition from the Philippines, Malaysia, Indonesia, and Singapore (including the favourites in Mineski) with a dominant performance. They won all six of their opening group games. Then, they defeated Kuala Lumpur Hunters 3-1 in the semis before a thumping 3-0 win over Mega in the final.
That result not only saw the team claim its biggest-ever payday, in the form of a $100,000 cash prize at the Mall of Asia Arena, but also a chance to compete at Worlds.
As winners of the Globe Conquerors Manila, Ascension Gaming became the first of the 12 teams for Worlds. The remaining 11 will qualify from a host of different tournaments and regional finals in the next few weeks.
Who are the other two early qualifiers?
Taiwan’s Flash Wolves became the first team to earn a Group Stage spot when they earned enough points in the LMS Championship for a berth in the finals.
It’s a similar story for KT Rolster. They’ve also amassed enough Championship Points to confirm their place but could also qualify as the top seed via the LCK Summer event.
Here is a breakdown of how the teams at the League of Legends World Championships 2018 will qualify.
LoL Worlds Play-In Qualifiers
- Global Conquerors Manila – Ascension Gaming (seeded Pool 3)
- OPL Split 2 Champion – TBC (seeded Pool 3)
- LCL Summer Champion – TBC (seeded Pool 2)
- LLN Closing Champion. – TBC (seeded Pool 2)
- LJL Summer Champion – TBC (seeded Pool 3)
- CBLOL Winter Champion – TBC (seeded Pool 2)
- NA LCS Regional Finals – TBC (seeded Pool 1)
- LMS Regional Finals – TBC (seeded Pool 1)
- CLS Closing Champion – TBC (seeded Pool 3)
- TCL Summer Champion – TBC (seeded Pool 2)
- EU LCS Regional Finals – TBC (seeded Pool 1)
- LPL Regional Finals – TBC (seeded Pool 1)
Lol Worlds Group Stage Qualifiers
- LPL Summer Champion – TBC (seeded Pool 1)
- LPL Championship Points – TBC (seeded Pool 2)
- LCK Summer Champion – TBC (seeded Pool 1) (KT Rolster could claim this spot)
- LCK Championship Points – TBC (seeded Pool 2) (KT Rolster will claim this spot if they don’t win the LCK Summer Championship)
- EU LCS Summer Champion – TBC (seeded Pool 1)
- EU LCS Championship Points – TBC (seeded Pool 2)
- NA LCS Summer Champion – TBC (seeded Pool 2)
- NA LCS Championship Points – TBC (seeded Pool 2)
- LMS Summer Champion – TBC (seeded Pool 1) (Flash Wolves could claim this spot)
- LMS Championship Points – TBC (seeded Pool 2) (Flash Wolves will claim this spot if they don’t win the Summer Championship)
- LCK Regional Finals – TBC (seeded Pool 2)
- VCS Summer Champion – TBC (seeded Pool 2)
South Korean venues for Worlds
Although full details of exactly where and when the Play In, Group Stage, and the Playoffs will take place in South Korea later this year are not yet known, we do know that the World Championships will be contested at four venues:
- LoL Park in Seoul
- BEXCO Auditorium in Busan
- Grangju Women’s University Universiade Gymnasium in Gwangju
- Incheon Munhak Stadium in Incheon
As yet, there has been no official confirmation from Riot Games as to what the prize money for this year’s tournament will be.
Who may the three teams already qualified?
The LPL Summer 2018 is just 75 percent of the way through the first phase. Invictus Gaming (16-1), JD Gaming (13-3), Royal Never Give Up (13-5), and Rogue Warriors (13-3) are among the teams with the strongest Group Stage records. Of those teams, Royal Never Give Up and Rogue Warriors are currently vying for top spot in the Championship Points table.
Things are much more advanced in the Korean LCK Summer event. After an explosive Group Stage (which saw four teams finish with a 13-5 record), KT Rolster and Griffin will face off in the best-of-five final on Sept. 8 to decide the host nation’s top seed.
If Griffin win, KT Rolster will qualify as the Championship Points winner. However, if KT Rolster win, then Afreeca Freecs will earn the Championship spot.
Europe
The EU LCS Summer has also reached the playoff stage. The two quarterfinals between FC Schalke 04 Esports and Splyce, then G2 Esports and Misfits, take place Aug. 24 and 25 respectively. Awaiting the winners of those games in the semifinals are Team Vitality and top seed Fnatic.
The third-place match and final will take place on Sept. 8 and Sept. 9. There’s still plenty to play for in terms of Championship Points with any of six teams potentially in with a chance of claiming a place here, depending on how they perform in the playoffs.
North America
Similarly, the NA LCS Summer is at the playoff stage. Cloud9 and Team Liquid earned the two top-seeded spots into the semifinals. They will play the winners of the two quarterfinals, Echo Fox vs. Team SoloMid and 100 Thieves vs. FlyQuest. Like in the EU LCS, any of the six teams qualified for the Summer Playoffs still stand a chance of earning a spot via Championship Points if they can progress to the final and win the tournament.
Over the next few weeks, the teams competing in the League of Legends World Championships 2018 will start to become much clearer.
Editorial credit: lol.gamepedia.com
Since: August 10, 2015
