This year’s Asian tournament, which is scheduled for July 4-7 in Seoul, is the first to feature teams from four regions.
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The new addition means a different format compared to last year, when LCK, LPL and LMS teams competed against each other.
Group stage matchups will be decided by results in the Spring Split, with teams of the same seeding to face one another.
For example: SKT, who finished first in LCK, will play IG, who finished first in LPL.
All of the matches in the group stage will be played in a single round robin, Bo1 format.
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The top region at the end of the group games will then advance directly into the finals, while the second- and third-placed regions get another shot at glory in the semi-finals.
In the semis, teams will face off in a Bo5 relay with the matchups determined by the coaches from both sides.
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The winner of the semi-finals will then take on the first-placed region from group stages in another Bo5 relay.
The teams competing in the tournament are as follows:
LCK – SKT T1, Griffin, Kingzone DragonX, DAMWON Gaming
LPL – Invictus Gaming, JD Gaming, FunPlus Phoenix, Topsports Gaming
LMS – Flash Wolves, MAD Team
VCS – Phong Vu Buffalo, EVOS Esports
Seeing how VCS and LMS both come into Rift Rivals with only two teams, the two regions will merge to form a single region for the sake of the tournament.
Vietnam’s inclusion comes off the back of some impressive results at international level.
The region has also brought a completely new playstyle to the top tier of League of Legends esports, combining extreme aggression with unique strategies.
Phong Vu Buffalo mad a big statement at the 2019 Mid-Season Invitational when they beat G2 Esports, the MSI champions, twice in the group stage.