After buying back an LCS slot from CLG, NRG did the unthinkable with a final win over Cloud9. The team edged out the reigning champions in a four-game series despite being the underdogs coming into the series. C9 began the series with a clean win but failed to keep the momentum for the remaining three games.
The League Championship Series (LCS) represents the highest tier of professional League of Legends play in the U.S. and Canada. Managed by Riot Games, the league comprises ten franchised teams. Every competitive year is split into two parts: spring and summer. Each split ends with a double-elimination contest involving the top eight squads. Following the summer playoffs, the top three teams – the champion, the second-placed, and the third-placed – advance to the annual League of Legends World Championship.
While Cloud9 was hunting for a third consecutive LCS title, they were halted by a 3-1 defeat to NRG. With a regular season score of 9-9, NRG began the LCS Championship playoffs in the fifth position. They bested Team Liquid and Golden Guardians in the upper bracket before dominating Cloud9 in the upper bracket finals. With Palafox leading the charge, NRG managed a gripping 3-2 win over Liquid, sealing their berth in the grand finals.
This win for NRG ensures they represent North America as the top seed at the 2023 League World Championship in South Korea. Cloud9 clinches the second seed for the region, and Team Liquid takes the third spot. Golden Guardians also have a chance to secure a berth as the fourth LCS squad at Worlds if they overcome Europe’s fourth-seeded team in the qualifying playoffs.
The World Championship for the 2023 Season, also known as Worlds 2023, marks the end of the 2023 League of Legends esports season. This tournament is set to take place in South Korea. Significant alterations in the format have been made this year, including the introduction of the best-of-three series, a Swiss-stage phase, and several other adjustments.