Following the conclusion of the Mid-Season Invitational play-in stage, the remaining League of Legends teams in the tournament were drawn into an eight-team double-elimination bracket. Five teams had already advanced to the bracket stage thanks to their placements during the domestic portion of the season, while three others advanced to the bracket from the play-ins.
Unlike previous editions of the tournament, MSI 2023 featured an expanded field of 13 participants. That number has been narrowed to eight, moving into the bracket stage. Perhaps the most intriguing development to come out of the play-in stage was the fact that no minor region teams advanced to the tournament’s next round. With that in mind, all four major regions in professional League will have two representatives present in the bracket stage.
Additionally, this year’s MSI bracket will feature a double elimination format, giving teams a second chance at a run for the title should they fall out of the winners’ side of the bracket.
Here are all the first-round matchups you can expect when the MSI 2023 bracket stage kicks off next week.
MSI 2023 bracket stage draw results
Tuesday May 9
- Gen.G vs. G2 Esports
Wednesday, May 10
- MAD Lions vs. T1
Thursday, May 11
- C9 vs. Bilibili Gaming
Friday, May 12
- JD Gaming vs. Golden Guardians
All of the best-of-five matches in the bracket stage will feature matches between an Eastern team and a Western team. Each squad from NA or EMEA will play a Chinese or Korean team in the first round, and there will be no intra-regional matchups until at least the second round of the bracket.
Furthermore, only one first-round matchup will feature two 2023 first-half champions going up against each other, with LCK Spring champions Gen.G facing off against LEC Winter champions G2 Esports.
The MSI 2023 bracket stage will begin on May 9 and last until May 21.
