Chinese teams have consistently dominated the League of Legends competitive scene throughout its history. The last three Mid-Season Invitational champions have all hailed from China. In an exciting development, MSI 2024 is rumored to be hosted in Chengdu, marking the first time in eight years that MSI would return to mainland China, as reported by the Korean news outlet Naver. Riot Games, while acknowledging the reports, has not confirmed the tournament’s location yet. However, fans are already buzzing with anticipation for a homefield advantage for Chinese teams.
In 2016, when China last hosted MSI in Shanghai, the dominant SK Telecom T1, led by Faker, secured yet another championship. They defeated Royal Never Give Up in the semifinals, and CLG emerged victorious against Flash Wolves to reach the finals.
Since 2018, the League of Legends Pro League (LPL) has maintained a firm grip on the MSI crown. While G2 Esports managed to win the trophy in 2019, RNG has clinched victory in three of the last five iterations of the tournament. This Chinese dominance at MSI has continued, even with a new format that allows two representatives from each region to participate in the tournament, a first in its history.
This year, JD Gaming, a prominent Chinese team, easily defeated Bilibili Gaming to claim the MSI title, bringing them one step closer to achieving the elusive Grand Slam. A win at the 2023 World Championship could make this a reality. JDG and BLG outperformed other top-seeded teams such as T1, Gen.G, G2 Esports, Cloud9, and MAD Lions at MSI. If MSI 2024 is held in Chengdu, they could have the advantage of a supportive home crowd.
For now, fans can watch both Bilibili Gaming and JD Gaming in action as the World Championship 2023 continues on Thursday, October 26 at 2 am CT.