Rift Rivals is a series League of Legends events that take place at the end of June/beginning of July. Just as the name implies, the competition is all about following intense rivalries between the largest LoL esports regions. As of 2019, there are two main Rift Rivals events: NA vs EU (North America vs Europe) and LCK-LPL-LMS-VCS (South Korea vs China vs Taiwan and Vietnam). This gives League of Legends fans a great opportunity to see their favorite region compete against its long-standing adversaries, making Rift Rivals one of the most exciting events in the scene!
Rift Rivals Live Stream
Rift Rivals Format
The Rift Rivals format will be different depending on which regions you choose to follow. The NA vs EU tournament starts with the group stage. The top-3 teams from the LCS Spring Split fight through a string of best-of-one matches against the top-3 teams from the LEC Spring Split. Each North American team faces each European team once, so by the end of the group stage, everyone will have played a total of 3 games. There’s a certain sense of levity to this part of the tournament, as group stage games go hand in hand with showmatches and 2v2 competitions.
At the end of the group stage, both regions advance to the NA vs EU relay race finals. This is a joint best-of-five between LCS and LEC lineups, and each team has to play at least one game over the course of the series. The region that won the group stage gets to decide which teams will play in the first three games of the match, making it easier to set up advantageous matchups and counter enemy playstyles. And when relay race finals come to their conclusion, the winners raise the Rift Rivals trophy, while the losers walk away empty-handed.
The LCK-LPL-LMS-VCS tournament follows a similar format. Much like its NA vs EU equivalent, it begins with the single round-robin group stage. The number of participants is much higher, though, as the LPL and LCK send their top-4 Spring Split teams to the event. As for the LMS and VCS, both regions send their top-2 Spring Split teams to fight on the same side against China and South Korea. There are no showmatches or 2v2 games at this tournament, so each region will be pulling out all stops to finish the group stage in the first place.
Once the group stage wraps up, it’s time for the blind relay race playoffs. The best-performing group stage region is automatically seeded into the finals, and the other two regions have to play against each other in the semifinals. Both series follow a best-of-five format, and no single team can play more than two games per match. Moreover, coaches decide the time when their teams play, so there’s plenty of room for mind games and educated guesses, as everyone tries to secure the best possible matchups for their regions.
Rift Rivals Events
Rift Rivals involve the biggest and most accomplished regions in competitive League of Legends. There are currently two distinct events:
- Rift Rivals NA vs EU—a competition between North America (LCS) and Europe (LEC).
- Rift Rivals LCK-LPL-LMS-LPL —a competition between South Korea (LCK), China (LPL), Taiwan (LMS), and Vietnam (VCS).
Why Watch Rift Rivals?
Rift Rivals aren’t the most high-stakes events in the LoL esports scene. Even so, watching them can give you a good idea of the power level of your region compared to its closest competitors. Not only that but it’s a great appetizer for anyone hungry for more international tournaments.
Finally, this event is the last opportunity for the best teams in their regions to test themselves against international competition before the upcoming League of Legends World Championship (Worlds). And rest assured, no high-level team will want to miss it.
