Game developer Riot Games has announced the 2024 League of Legends World Championship will hold its finals at London’s O2 Arena.
As a result, the League of Legends World Championship heads to England’s capital city for the first time since 2015.
The last time Worlds headed to London was the 2015 quarter-finals for League of Legends’ season-ending event, which took place at the OVO Arena Wembley. In recent years, London has become a popular location to host esports events. In 2023, League of Legends’ Mid-Season Invitational tournament took place at the Copper Box Arena, while the Apex Legends Global Series Championship headed to Birmingham’s Resorts World Arena in September.
London’s O2 Arena has hosted a wealth of sporting and music events including NBA matches, the finals of the ATP tennis circuit and performances from the likes of Adele and Beyoncé.
League of Legends returning to the UK marks the first time the World Championship has taken place in Europe since 2021. The 2021 event took place in Iceland after moving from China due to the COVID-19 pandemic.
The 2024 League of Legends World Championship Final will take place at the O2 Arena on November 2nd. Details on other venues for the tournament have yet to be revealed, however, it has been reported that Paris will also host a major leg of the competition.
Alisa Buck, Head of Major Events and City Experience at London & Partners, spoke on the news: “London’s esports industry is growing rapidly, and with a supportive environment, we’re excited to see how the League of Legends World Championships Finals will contribute to its expansion.
“From well-equipped stadiums to a diverse group of fans always ready to embrace new experiences, we look forward to using our major events expertise to support the city’s thriving esports sector.”
The news was announced during the broadcast of this year’s League of Legends World Championship Finals, which broke records by becoming the most-viewed esports event ever.
