Contents
u/CantComprehendLogic deduced this year’s Worlds format from the posted schedule
Worlds 2022’s dates have been set from September 29 to November 5 as follows:
- Play-Ins: September 29-October 4
- Groups: October 7-10 and October 13-16
- Quarterfinals: October 20-23
- Semifinals: October 29-30
- Finals: November 5
The dates format is exactly the same as last years’, therefore it is logical to infer that the brackets remain the same. If there were major changes then the dates would have had to be adjusted accordingly. For comparison, here is Worlds 2021 schedule and format via Liquipedia:
- Play-In Round 1 – October 5th – 7th
- Ten teams are divided into two groups where they play a Single Round Robin format.
- All matches are played in a Bo1.
- Top teams in each group advance to Group Stage.
- 2nd, 3rd and 4th teams in each group advance to Play-In: Round 2.
- Bottom team in each group is eliminated.
- Play-In Round 2 – October 8th – 9th
- Six teams from Play-In: Round 1.
- The 3rd and 4th placed teams of the same group of Round 1 face each other, winners compete against the 2nd placed team of the other group.
- All matches are played in a Bo5.
- Two winners will advance to Group Stage.
- Four losers will be eliminated.
- Group Stage – October 11th – 13th and 15th – 18th
- Four teams from the Play-In Stage join twelve teams with direct entry from China, South Korea, Europe, Southeast Asia and North America.
- All sixteen teams are divided into four groups where they play a Double Round Robin format.
- All matches are played in a Bo1.
- Top two teams in each group advance to Playoffs.
- Bottom two teams in each group are eliminated.
- Click here for information about tiebreaker rules
- Playoffs – October 22nd – 25th, October 30th – 31st and November 6th
- Eight teams play in a single elimination bracket where 1st placed team of each group faces 2nd placed team from another group.
- Side Selection Privilege
- Teams with Side Selection Privilege can choose the side in game 1, after that, the team lost can choose the side in the next game.
- In Quarterfinals, 1st placed team from each group will have the Side Choice Previlege.
- In the following matches, the Side Choice Previlege will be determined by coin flip.
- All matches are Bo5.
Another year, another 11 international Bo5s schedule
For the biggest game on the planet, and probably the world’s biggest esports scene, this is a sad statistics. Worlds is not just any event, it is a yearly festival for every diehard LoL fan around the world, lasts for a month, takes place beyond borders and receives meticulous production and coverage. It could do much better than 3 Bo5 in 14 days.
Considering the dominance of the Chinese LPL and Korean LCK, it’s always the case that these 11 Bo5s become predominantly a LPL-LCK civil war so we’re not even getting 11 international series realistically.
A double bracket with Bo3s and a Bo5 grand finals like Dota’s TI would allow for much more spectacle, competition and exhilaration as fans around the world get to see the best of every region square off far more fair and square.
