TL;DR
- Vietnam teams cannot attend Worlds 2020 due to travel restrictions, forcing format changes
- Play-in stage reduced from 12 to 10 teams with LCK third seed getting direct main event qualification
- New format features two groups of five with single round-robin and complex elimination bracket
- Teams maintain equal red/blue side distribution despite format compression
- Riot maintains flexibility for additional changes as situation evolves
Travel restrictions have prevented Vietnam’s qualifying teams from participating in the 2020 World Championship, compelling Riot Games to implement significant structural modifications to the tournament format. This unprecedented situation represents one of the most substantial mid-planning adjustments in League of Legends esports history.
In response to these developments, Riot has unveiled comprehensive format revisions that particularly impact the play-in stage. The most notable change grants the LCK region’s third seed automatic advancement to the main event, bypassing the qualification stage entirely.
The play-in stage undergoes a fundamental restructuring, decreasing from twelve to ten competing teams. Riot determined this configuration provides the optimal balance for maintaining competitive integrity while accommodating the reduced participant count.
This reduction necessitated promoting one team directly to the main event, with selection criteria favoring the LCK’s third seed based on extensive analysis of regional performance metrics across previous international competitions.
The revised play-in format establishes two seeded groups comprising five teams each. This group distribution enables cleaner bracket progression and reduces scheduling complexity for broadcast planning.
Each group competes in a single round-robin format where every team faces each opponent once. The group winners secure immediate advancement to the main event’s group stage, while the bottom-ranked teams from each group face elimination.
Third and fourth-place teams within each group enter a high-stakes best-of-five elimination series. The victorious teams then challenge the second-place squads from the opposite groups in decisive best-of-five matches that determine the final main event qualifiers.
Riot acknowledges that double round-robin formats typically provide superior competitive data, but current circumstances prevent this preferred approach. Despite the compressed schedule, the single round-robin structure on Summoner’s Rift ensures equitable distribution of red and blue side assignments across all matches.
The format adjustments also trigger modifications to group stage composition pools. With the LCK’s third seed advancing directly, regional representation balances shift accordingly, potentially affecting group draw dynamics and competitive matchups.
The 2020 World Championship commences with the play-in stage on September 5, featuring prominent contenders like LGD Gaming and MAD Lions. Riot emphasizes maintaining operational flexibility, acknowledging that additional format modifications may become necessary as the global situation continues evolving.
Teams must adapt quickly to these structural changes, as the compressed format increases the importance of every individual match. Strategic preparation becomes paramount when facing elimination after minimal games.
Action Checklist
- Analyze new play-in bracket pathways for strategic advantages
- Review LCK third seed’s automatic qualification impact on group draws
- Study single round-robin format implications for team preparation
- Evaluate red/blue side distribution in compressed schedule
No reproduction without permission：Game Guides Online » Riot Games announces big changes for 2020 World Championship Riot Games implements major World Championship format changes due to Vietnam team travel restrictions