Esports
Worlds 2022 is about to get started: we take a look at how some of the strongest teams look ahead of the thrilling international competition.
The League of Legends World Championship 2022 Main Event is about to kick off, and the main groups are settled after four teams qualified through the Play-Ins to secure their spots at this year’s biggest event on the LoL calendar. Worlds 2022 sees a range of incredible teams from all over the globe come together for the biggest LoL tournament of the year.
EDward Gaming, G2 Esports, DRX, T1 and Cloud9 are ready to show their strength and are aiming for the chance to claim the title of the world's best LoL team. Now that the groups have been settled, we're looking back on the top teams' performances so far this year, and what we can expect from them at Worlds.
During the Group Stage, the 16 participating teams have been split into four groups and will be whittled down to just eight. The top-seeded teams representing their respective leagues head into a double round-robin best-of-one format. The bottom two teams in each group will be eliminated, while the top two go through to the Knockout Stage, so it's very much all to play for.
EDward Gaming
China's EDward Gaming are the reigning Worlds champions, although they entered this year's competition as the League of Legends Pro League's third seed. Despite some disappointment in their regional league, EDG still hold a series of impressive accolades under their belts, meaning the team are among the best placed to take Worlds by storm in the Group Stage. Their roster hasn't seen any changes since their last win, so we can expect a similar style of play this time around.
They've been put in Group A, along with T1, Cloud9 and Fnatic, and will face off against T1 on the first day of the Group Stage. If the team can recall some of what made last year great, they could dominate the competition from day one.
G2 Esports
The first team to qualify for Worlds 2022, G2 have had a tumultuous season in the League of Legends European Championship. Their performance has been unfalteringly determined, sweeping some games with ease, and battling others until the bitter end. With the strength of their rivals improving, G2 still managed to hold their own and come second in the LEC – comfortably qualifying for Worlds. Rather than take their foot off the pedal, they continued to fight and support each other, and that confidence and determination will be key in their journey through the competition.
They will be starting in Group B, alongside JD Gaming, DWG Kia (2020’s Worlds winner) and Evil Geniuses. If they manage to keep their confidence up, they could come out fighting during the Group Stage, where their first match is against DWG Kia – surely a true test of their strength.
T1
T1 boast an incredible roster for 2022 alongside their legendary status, making them some serious competitors in the Group Stage. Their incredibly strategic, well-planned style sees them collecting trophies with ease, and this year the team look stronger than ever. With Lee 'Faker' Sang-hyeok, a player of incredible experience and talent, still championing that T1 mid lane, opponents of all skill levels may well find their calm and confident demeanour hard to resist. A few defeats in the League of Legends Champions Korea seem to have given them ammo for training, as the team look to grow and learn throughout their journey.
If T1 bring their A game and stick to their trademark approach, they should see the wins start to stack up. They've been put in Group A, making the equally formidable EDward Gaming their first opponent.
DRX
Missing out on Worlds 2021 seems to have given DRX the opportunity to shake up their roster and tighten their game. Clearly making the right moves, the team have bounced back despite a rollercoaster season, and are looking well-placed to be the dark horse of Worlds 2022. Kim 'Deft' Hyuk-kyul returned to the team this year after an extended absence, and new midlaner Kim 'Zeka' Geon-woo joined alongside world champion support Cho 'BeryL' Geon-hee to compliment the mainstays of the rest of the team. With this refreshed roster, DRX are an exciting prospect for fans, with plenty to prove at this year's competition – and they’ve already stoked the fires of success with a flawless Play-Ins performance.
DRX are in Group C, alongside Rogue, Top Esports and GAM Esports. This is a fairly broad team with some serious potential, so DRX want to bring their best-ever game this time around. If they do, it could be an extremely rewarding turn of events for fans of the South Korean team.
Cloud9
North America’s Cloud9 are very much the unknown entity of the competition this year, having had a serious shake-up in their roster and a tough Spring Season. Their tenacity is to be admired, as the team struggled to keep their head above water at times, but still managed to punch their ticket to Worlds – winning the LCS playoffs – regardless. This means the team has some serious firepower up their sleeves, and if they choose to use it, we could be in for a very interesting performance.
Cloud9 has a tough group this year in Group A, sitting alongside the likes of T1, EDG and Fnatic. If they want to see themselves at the top of the group, they will need to tap into that incredible strength fans know they possess.
Who will move on to the Worlds 2022 playoffs? Which teams will make it to the Chase Center in San Francisco, USA for the grand final? All will be revealed as the Worlds 2022 Main Event kicks off later today.
