2019 League of Legends World Championship

Tournament Format and Qualification

The 2019 World Championship featured 24 teams from 13 global regions. Qualification was based on placements in regional circuits such as those in China (LPL), Europe (LEC), South Korea (LCK), North America (LCS), and Taiwan/Hong Kong/Macau (LMS). Due to results from the 2018 Mid-Season Invitational and the 2018 World Championship, the third seed team from China started directly in the group stage, replacing the third seed team from South Korea, which instead began in the play-in stage.

Vietnam's VCS region secured a direct group stage spot for its summer champion and an additional play-in spot for its runner-up, a format last used in 2017. Following the merger of Latin America North and South into the single LLA league, and results from the 2019 Mid-Season Invitational, the summer champions of the LMS region were also moved down to pool #2 for the group stage draw.

The Play-in Stage in Berlin

The initial phase of the tournament, the play-in stage, was held at the LEC Studio in Berlin from October 2 to 5. Twelve teams were divided into four groups of three, playing a double round-robin format where all matches were best-of-one. Matches began at 13:00 CEST for the first leg and 12:00 for the second. When teams finished with identical win-loss and head-to-head records, a tiebreaker match was held to determine first or second place.

The top two teams from each group advanced to a knockout round. In this knockout round, the eight advancing teams were randomly drawn into single-elimination, best-of-five matches. The first-place team from each group faced a second-place team from another. The first-place team in each match chose the side for all odd-numbered games, while the second-place team chose the side for even-numbered games. The winners of these matches earned a spot in the main event's group stage as a third seed.

Group Stage at Verti Music Hall

The main group stage moved to the Verti Music Hall in Berlin, running from October 12 to 20. Sixteen teams, including those that qualified directly and the play-in stage winners, were drawn into four groups of four. Teams from the same region could not be placed in the same group. This stage also used a double round-robin format with best-of-one matches.

The top two teams from each group progressed to the knockout stage, while the bottom two were eliminated. Tiebreaker matches were used to determine rankings when teams had identical win-loss and head-to-head records. The group stage served to narrow the field to the eight elite teams that would compete in the single-elimination bracket.

Knockout Stage Across Europe

The knockout stage featured the eight surviving teams in a single-elimination bracket, with all matches being best-of-five series. The bracket was structured so that each first-place team from the group stage was matched against a second-place team from a different group. The first-place team selected the side for all odd-numbered games, while the second-place team chose the side for even-numbered games.

Teams that had advanced from the same initial group were placed on opposite sides of the bracket, ensuring they could not meet again until the final. The quarterfinals and semifinals were held in Madrid. The grand final took place in Paris on November 10, where FunPlus Phoenix from China swept Europe's G2 Esports in a 3-0 victory to win the championship.

Prize Pool and Champions

The total prize pool for the event was $2,225,000. The champion team, FunPlus Phoenix, claimed the largest share, winning $834,375 for their victory. The runner-up, G2 Esports, received a portion of the remaining prize money. FunPlus Phoenix's win continued a trend of Chinese team dominance at the tournament, following Invictus Gaming's victory the previous year.

Their decisive 3-0 win over G2 Esports in the final was a highlight of the event, marking a clear conclusion to the 2019 League of Legends esports season. The tournament served as the annual world championship to determine the best team in the world, a title FunPlus Phoenix held until the next iteration.

Cultural Event and Music

The tournament was accompanied by significant cultural productions from Riot Games. The official theme song was Phoenix, performed by Chrissy Costanza and Cailin Russo. Remix versions of the song were produced by Blanke, Carpenter Brut, and 1788-L, adding different musical dimensions to the event's identity.

During the opening ceremony for the finals in Paris, presented by Mastercard, Riot Games unveiled a virtual hip-hop group named True Damage. The live performance featured the human counterparts of the group: Soyeon from (G)I-dle, Duckwrth, Thutmose, Keke Palmer, and Becky G, performing their debut song, Giants. This performance was a major spectacle of the finals ceremony.

Significance and Legacy

The 2019 World Championship was the conclusion of the 2019 League of Legends esports season. It was the ninth iteration of the annual world championship tournament hosted by Riot Games. By being held in Europe across three major capitals, it underscored the global nature of the esport.

The event's structure, from the play-in stage through to the knockout bracket, set the standard for determining the world champion. The results also had implications for future regional seedings and format adjustments, as seen with the changes to the LMS and VCS qualifications. The tournament confirmed the LPL region's position at the top of international competition at the time.