League of Legends world championship returns to China as mainland esports sector grows
League of Legends World Championship , the
esports industry's biggest tournament for a single title, raising hopes for another finals run by a mainland team.
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The annual professional competition, also known as the Worlds, will kick off in
Beijing from October 14 and then move to
Shanghai for the quarter-final and semi-final rounds from October 28 to November 2, according to US video game developer and tournament organiser Riot Games, a subsidiary of
Tencent Holdings
The 2025 Worlds final will take place on November 9 in
Chengdu , capital of southwestern Sichuan province.
This year's competition will see 17 teams vie for prize money and the Summoner's Cup, the trophy awarded to the Worlds final winner.
Edward Gaming, a professional esports team based in Shanghai, was the last Chinese group to hoist the Summoner's Cup when they
won the 2021 Worlds in Reykjavik, the capital of
Iceland
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Holding the 2025 Worlds in China reflected the strides made on the mainland esports sector, which has become big business, as clubs financed by the country's young tycoons made an impact in the global arena.
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