The time has come for all League of Legends international tournament fans! After several rumors, Riot Games has today confirmed that the Mid Seans Invitational will be held in Busan, South Korea.
While there were rumors that the event might be canceled due to a spike in COVID-19 cases in the country over the past few months, it will finally take place. MSI 2022 marks the return of competition to the country after three seasons without an event and without an audience.
What will the next MSI 2022 look like in South Korea?
This is the first time that South Korea has hosted this event. The tournament will take place mainly in Busan, the country’s second most populous city with nearly 3.5 million inhabitants. The city has already hosted the quarter-finals of the 2014 and 2018 Worlds, which took place at the Busan Exhibition and Convention Centerwhich can hold just over 4,000 spectators when there are no capacity restrictions.
The organization of the tournament in South Korea will allow Western fans to attend the matches at rather comfortable times. While Riot Games has yet to reveal any fixtures schedule or times, in the country, it is customary for matches to start at 9:00 a.m..
As for the format, it will remain the same as last year. Teams will begin competing in four groups. Of each of them, two will qualify for a second phase with eight teams and the first four will participate in a knockout group with semi-finals and final.
Entrants are yet to be determined and will be the winners from each of the regions except the LCL. The League of Legends Continental League Spring Split 2022 has been officially canceled due to the war in Ukraine. Due to this situation, one of the groups in the first phase is expected to have only three teams.