The first international event of this League of Legends esports season is almost here and promises to be one of the biggest in the history of the game. But which teams are competing in MSI 2024 and who’s the favorite to win?
While 2024 has been a rough league for LoL esports, and esports as a whole, fans can forget about the troubles for a little while. Don’t worry about the LCS overhauling its entire format in the middle of the season. Or how Riot is looking to restructure the entire scene with a third international event. Just focus on some high-quality LoL esports.
Top teams from each region will come together in Chengdu, China for the most high-stakes MSI in the history of the event. That’s not just bluster either, as the top four regions are all sending two teams this year and the qualification structure of Worlds hangs in the balance. Here are all the teams set to compete at the event, and who is most likely to win.
Full list of teams playing at MSI 2024
Gen.G, Team Liquid, G2 Esports, and T1 headline the list of teams set to compete at MSI 2024.
MSI 2024 features a slightly different format this year, with 12 teams set to play across two stages. The second-place teams from the four major regions and the top teams of the LLA, CBLOL, PCS, and VCS are all set to compete in the Play-In Stage.
The setup for 2024 is simpler than that of 2023, with eight teams split across two groups. Each group will have a four-team, double-elimination bracket with the two top teams of each group advancing to the Bracket Stage.
These are the opening matches of the MSI 2024 Play-In Stage:
- Group A- T1 vs. Estral Esports
- Group A- FlyQuest vs. PSG Talon
- Group B- Top Esports vs. LOUD
- Group B- Fnatic vs. GAM Esports
The prize each team got for winning their region’s spring split was a ticket to the Bracket Stage of MSI 2024. The teams that earned a direct berth to the second stage of MSI 2024 include:
- Bilibili Gaming
- G2 Esports
- Gen.G Esports
- Team Liquid
Following the Play-In Stage, the eight remaining teams will be shuffled into an eight-team double-elimination bracket. The teams will play until there is a single champion.
The winner of MSI 2024 will earn a guaranteed spot in Worlds 2024, assuming that team successfully qualifies for the playoffs of its summer split. The second-place team also guarantees an extra spot in Worlds for its region. While teams always bring their A-game for MSI, they have cause to go for the throat. This also potentially sets up Worlds to have even more representation from the top regions.
Who will win MSI 2024?
Gen.G Esports and Bilibili Gaming are widely regarded as the teams most likely to win at MSI 2024, with T1 and Top Esports fairly close behind.
Longtime fans of League of Legends esports probably aren’t surprised by this. Chinese or Korean teams have won the vast majority of international LoL esports events, and the expectation is for that trend to continue. Gen.G and Bilibili Gaming are regarded as a toss-up when it comes to favorite status.
T1 recovered from its controversial loss to Hanwha Life Esports to secure a spot in MSI and is held by many as a strong third-place option behind the top teams of the spring. Top Esports sits definitively in fourth when it comes to the odds, but is much closer to first than fifth.
Past the Korean and Chinese teams, effectively everyone is a dark horse. G2 Esports is given the best chance of taking the title from that lot, but while it is technically the last team from outside China or Korea to win an international event, it has been a long time since an LEC team achieved meaningful success internationally. Team Liquid stands far behind even them in sixth place, showing just how little faith exists in Western teams versus their Eastern rivals.
