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Update: LPL 2022 Summer Split to begin on 10th June
The League of Legends Pro League (LPL) 2022 Summer Split is scheduled to start on 10th June, according to the official announcement of the league. However, the announcement did not clarify whether the games will be played remotely from the respective team facilities or if the teams will be playing at the LPL Arena in Shanghai, China. Notably, because of the COVID-19 crisis and the resultant lockdown situation in China, Riot Games allowed Royal Never Give Up, the LPL representative for the Mid-Season Invitational (MSI) 2022, to participate remotely in the international tournament.
Notably, RNG went on to win MSI 2022 by defeating Korea’s T1 on its home turf and took home its third-ever MSI title.
According to a recent report by BBC, Shanghai eased Covid curbs on 1st June after a two-month lockdown, allowing most of its 25 million people to move freely around the city. However, at least 650K residents were still confined to their homes in "high risk" areas as identified by the Chinese government.
However, a CNN report on 3rd June stated that many neighborhoods in Shanghai were placed back under lockdown just a day after the city-wide restrictions were lifted because of the country’s strict zero-COVID strategy.
However, fans can soon expect the league to release the schedule and other details of how the split is going to be played out since it shall be starting in just less than a week.
The Mid-Season Invitational 2022 (MSI 2022) has finally concluded with the League of Legends Pro League (LPL) representative Royal Never Give Up (RNG) lifting the trophy and taking home the lion’s share of the prize pool. T1 from Korea made it all the way to the fifth game of the Grand Final but faltered at the last pit stop and finished second.
With the MSI tournament done and dusted, all the regions across the world are gearing up for the big Summer Split, the most-important season before the World Championship.
The four big regions in League of Legends esports are:
North America: League of Legends Championship Series (LCS)
Europe: League of Legends European Championship (LEC)
China: League of Legends Pro League (LPL)
Korea: League of Legends Champions Korea (LCK)
Here’s everything we know about the start dates of the Summer Split in all these regions.
LCK - 15th June
According to Inven Global, sources have stated that the 2022 LCK Summer Split will kick off on 15th June. Many expected the split to start a week earlier than the actual start date but because the 2022 Asian Games stands indefinitely postponed, the LCK has gone with a later date.
Inven Global also pointed out that T1, which finished second at the MSI, will play in the latter half of week one of the LCK Summer Split because the league wants to give the team as much time to rest and reset before Summer. Notably, the team’s players were under immense pressure and working on a tight schedule ever since the Spring split concluded and they were all a part of the Korea League of Legends team tryout camp, as well.
LEC - 17th June
Riot Games revealed that the 2022 LEC Summer Split is scheduled to start on 17th June and that the European league will kick off the split with a super week. A super week has three days of games instead of the usual two.
Riot wrote, “If you can’t wait for the LEC to be back on your screens, then we have good news for you! The LEC Summer Season starts again on 17 June 2022 with a super week, so if you’re busy planning your summer calendars, make sure you pencil it in as you won’t want to miss it!”
LCS - 17th June
According to LoLEsports, the 2022 LCS Summer Split is scheduled to kick off on 17th June alongside its European counterpart. The LCS Summer Split will consist of an eight-week double round-robin, with five games played on Saturday and Sunday. Weeks 1 and 8 have been designated as Super Weeks by Riot Games, with five additional games played on Friday. The tickets for the LCS matches are available on tixr.
