MSI is the 2nd prestigious competition after the Worlds. It takes place after the end of the Spring Split of each Major League. The competition brings together the winner of the Spring Splits of each major region. MSI will take place on the upcoming weekend where, the champions of LPL, LMS, SEA and Latin America will inaugurate the competition. The prize pool for the competition is $ 1 million. It will award each team depending on the final standings. This means that no team will leave empty-handed from the MSI.
MSI is no exhibition competition that takes place as a celebration. The teams that finish in the top 4 will secure a spot for their region in the upcoming Worlds that takes place in Autumn. The team that wins the competition will have draws in the 1st, 2nd and 3rd pool. While other teams will get will be alotted in the 2nd and 3rd draw.
A Ticket To Worlds
The win is quite crucial for every region. Before the start of the Worlds, teams will be distributed in the group stage by a draw. The teams in the 1st pool will have the easiest group since no main region team will be in that pool. Those who will unable to get into the 1st pool will have to compete against the main regions in the 2nd and 3rd pool. In simple words, those team who fail to secure a spot in the 1st pool will have a hard time at the League Of Legends World Cup.
13 Champions. 1 Winner. #MSI2019 pic.twitter.com/6mbLaA6d0D
— lolesports (@lolesports) April 27, 2019
This year for the first time in history, the competition will take place in Hanoi and Ho Chi Minh City of Vietnam.
Key Dates and Stages
The play-in stage will kick off from 1st May in Ho Chi Minh City and will continue until May 7. On the first four days, the round one of the play-in stage will take place. Some of the best teams from across the world will compete to secure spots in the second phase of the tournament.
From 5th to 7th May we have the 2nd round of play-in stage of the competition. In this stage, the winner of the first round will take on the champions of the LMS and LCS. There are no rules in the draws of the 2nd round so anyone can face anyone. All matches of this stage will take place in the best of the 5 matches.
After the end of the second round, teams will qualify for the main event that takes place from 10th to 14th May. Only 8 teams will compete in this stage. Six of which will come from the LCK, LPL, and LEC while the rest of the two come from the 2nd round play-ins.
The 2019 Mid-Season Invitational Event Overview #MSI2019
Read now at: https://t.co/1xw5DSc3sH pic.twitter.com/KHnVZkjpDC
— lolesports (@lolesports) April 25, 2019
The teams will compete in the best-of-one double round robin format. Out of eight, only the top four will qualify for the knockout stage. To make things interesting for the next round, the team that finished first will have to choose their opponent for the next round.
The final stage of the competition will take place from 17th to 18th May. The four teams will fight for the place in the grand finale. Each match will be played in the best of five format.
