On Tuesday, the Esports Foundation unveiled the four seeding pools containing the sixteen teams qualified for the
League of Legends Esports World Cup tournament, which has been relocated to Paris and will take place from July 15 to 19. Over the past few weeks, the world's top teams secured their places through regional qualifiers and performances in their respective domestic leagues. Based on those results, the seeding pools have been established as follows:
Pool 2: (Chinese Qualifier, competing under the name AG.AL),
(Korean Qualifier),
(LCS First Seed),
(Defending Champion)
Pool 4: (CBLOL First Seed),
(EU Qualifier #2),
(NA Qualifier),
(South American Qualifier, competing under the name MIBR.LOS)
Using this seeding structure, a draw will be conducted in the coming weeks to determine the four groups for the tournament. Each group will feature four teams competing in a double-elimination format. All matches will be played as best-of-one series, with the exception of elimination matches, played as best-of-three series. Teams from the same region cannot be placed in the same group, and the top two teams from each group will advance to the playoff stage.
The tournament organizers have also confirmed that Pool 1 teams will face Pool 4 teams in their opening matches, while Pool 2 teams will be paired against Pool 3 teams. This seeding format could produce several intriguing matchups, particularly between lower-seeded representatives from the LCK and LPL and leading teams from the LCS and LEC.
The presence of Secret Whales in Pool 1 also adds an interesting dynamic to the draw. While the Vietnamese organization earned its seeding through strong regional performances, it may be viewed as a more vulnerable top seed compared to the tournament's traditional powerhouses. As a result, the draw could create opportunities for potential upsets, depending on how the groups ultimately take shape in the weeks ahead.
