Tomorrow one of the biggest esports events of the year finally begins.
The League of Legends 2015 World Championship kicks off in Paris, France at 10am ET.
The event is the culmination of an entire year of professional play, with 16 teams from around the globe clashing for $2.3 million in prizes and the honor of becoming World Champions after excelling in two seasons of intense play.
The event runs through the entire month of October, with matches scheduled for each of five weekends. The first half of the Worlds Group Stage will run this week from Thursday through Sunday, with six matches played every day.
Thursday 10/1 10:30am ET to 4:30pm ET
Friday 10/2 10am ET to 4pm ET
Saturday 10/3 8am ET to 2PM ET
Sunday 10/4 8am ET to 2pm ET
There’s plenty of big games on the schedule for the upcoming week.
Don’t miss the first match of the entire event tomorrow. Europe’s top team Fnatic, the best Western hope for a result at Worlds, will face off against China’s Invictus Gaming. It’s a match Fnatic should win if they have designs on a World Championship. But it’s hard to call them a favorite in it, considering Western teams’ struggles in recent years in international competition and Invictus’ victory over Chinese giants EDG in the LPL playoffs.
Late in the day at 2:30pm ET, Counter Logic Gaming, America’s top seed, will challenge Taiwanese titans yoe Flash Wolves. The Americans have a great shot to advance from Group A, but they need victories over Flash Wolves to ensure that.
Friday’s matches feature the first matches of the “Group of Death,” Group D. KT Rolster battles Team SoloMid and LGD Gaming takes on Origen in games that could set the stage for the biggest bloodbath of the tourney.
Saturday kicks off with the biggest game of the week: EDWard Gaming vs. SK Telecom T1, a rematch of the Midseason Invitational final. Then on Sunday, Counter Logic Gaming’s hopes will crystallize in an important battle against Korean squad KOO Tigers.
You’re not going to want to miss it. Make sure to tune in at LoLesports.
Photos via Riot Games | Remix by Jacob Wolf
Check out our guide to Asia’s top contenders at the League of Legends World Championship.