Worlds 2021 Venue and Event Dates Leaked Ahead of Official Announcement

A report by Dot Esports revealed that Worlds 2021 will be held in Iceland and the event is slated to commence on 5th October. The month-long event will reportedly conclude with the grand finals on 6th November. Riot Games officially responded to the publication revealing that more information on Worlds 2021 will be available later this week. Due to COVID-19 restrictions in China, Riot Games is moving the world championship from China to Europe. An official statement by Riot’s global head of esports, John Needham, revealed that “travel restrictions and COVID protocols have been even more complicated to navigate in 2021 than they were in 2020.”

Riot Games will make an official announcement about Worlds 2021 this week

While Needham revealed that the world championships are moving to Europe, he did not reveal the venue. It was later reported that the event is moving to Iceland following the success of the Mid-Season Invitational in May 2021. With Riot Games hosting Worlds 2021 with “zero infections”, it is safe to assume that the publisher knows how to host events with the proper precautions.

Currently there is no information on whether the upcoming event will feature an audience, or if it will be a closed event with only the staff and players. Riot Games has been hosting its events in a bubble system with strict protocols to prevent any infections from third parties who are not essential to the event.

Riot Games responded to Dot Esports’ report, stating that an official announcement regarding Worlds 2021 will be made later this week. The format of the upcoming event is currently unknown, and Vietnam not being able to host its VCS qualifiers further complicates things. It remains to be seen if the country allots teams for the upcoming world championships.

Vietnam can send its 2021 Spring Split champions GAM Esports to Worlds 2021. Saigon Buffalo, the runners-up from the same season, is also eligible to be sent to the event. A decision regarding the representatives is yet to be made.

All we know so far is that there will be three stages in Worlds 2021: Play-Ins, Groups, and Knockouts. Twelve teams will be directly allotted in Groups while the other 12 teams will be competing in play-ins for four spots for the main event. Riot Games will finalize the format closer to the event’s commencement.