How can my NA LCS team qualify for Worlds 2017?

Riot·Aug 22, 2017·3 votes·15,949 views

At the 2017 World Championship, North America has three spots available.

Here are the three ways that NA LCS teams can qualify for Worlds 2017:

Win NA LCS Summer Finals (#1 seed)
Receive the most Championship Points at the end of Playoffs (#2 seed) Note: If the team with the most points wins Finals, the team with the second highest points would qualify for Worlds
Win the NA Regional Qualifiers aka the Gauntlet (#3 seed)

Below are the eligible NA LCS teams and the possible ways that they can qualify for Worlds 2017:

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Unfortunately, Team Liquid, Phoenix1, Echo Fox, and Team Envy are unable to qualify for Worlds this year.

Stay tuned to Lolesports to catch the NA LCS Playoffs and Regional Qualifiers to see who will represent North America at the 2017 World Championship.

Looking for more information on Worlds?

Learn more about how all teams not just NA can qualify for the 2017 World Championship, click here. See what teams have qualified for Worlds 2017 so far, check out the tracker here.

42 Comments

BigBellBruteAug 23, 201711 votes

It's simple.
Flyquest and C9 are in the gauntlet.

Watch IMT vs CLG. Loser goes to the gauntlet. Winner will be rooting for TSM.

Watch TSM vs Dig. If TSM wins Dig goes to the gauntlet. TSM and the winner of the other semi play to see who gets the #1 and #2 NA seeds. Both will be group 2 teams at worlds.

If Dig wins, they will play the winner of the other semi. Winner of that would get #1 and the loser would go to the gauntlet with TSM getting the @2 on points.

Anyone not mentioned is eliminated.

GIFT OF LOVEAug 23, 20172 votes

Yes TSM win it all

BigBellBruteAug 26, 20172 votes

{quoted}

It's simple.
Flyquest and C9 are in the gauntlet.

Watch IMT vs CLG. Loser goes to the gauntlet. Winner will be rooting for TSM.

Watch TSM vs Dig. If TSM wins Dig goes to the gauntlet. TSM and the winner of the other semi play to see who gets the #1 and #2 NA seeds. Both will be group 2 teams at worlds.

If Dig wins, they will play the winner of the other semi. Winner of that would get #1 and the loser would go to the gauntlet with TSM getting the @2 on points.

Anyone not mentioned is eliminated.

Update CLG to the gauntlet.
If Dig wins tomorrow, the gauntlet will be Loser of Dig/imt, C9, CLG, Fly.
If TSM wins tomorrow, the gauntlet will be C9, winner of Dig/CLG, Loser of Dig/CLG, Fly.

BigBellBruteAug 27, 20171 votes

{quoted}

Update CLG to the gauntlet.
If Dig wins tomorrow, the gauntlet will be Loser of Dig/imt, C9, CLG, Fly.
If TSM wins tomorrow, the gauntlet will be C9, winner of Dig/CLG, Loser of Dig/CLG, Fly.

More update. TSM to the finals, Dig to the gauntlet.

Your summer split winner and points qualifier will be IMT and TSM in some order. For worlds both will be group 2 seeds (TSM lost our group 1 seed at MSI)

The Gauntlet will be Fly vs The loser of Dig/CLG 3rd place game. Winner vs the winner of Dig/ CLG 3rd place game. Winner vs C9. Winner to worlds as a play in group 3 seed.

AchiIlesAug 23, 20174 votes

I thought because of how poorly NA did in MSI we only get 2 spots in worlds? Or am I wrong on this one

ReaxetionAug 23, 20176 votes

Correct that you are incorrect.

Because of our poor showing at MSI we do not have one of the 4 first seed slots at worlds, thus giving us a harder group stage.

III BAKURYU III Aug 23, 20172 votes

Nah, the # of teams won't change from LCK/LPL/NA/EU or at least not a # decrease. NA's punishment is their #3 seed being in a "play in stage" very similar to MSI/TSM but without a safety net like another series to bail them out, they face a team in the "Play in stage" and if they lose they're eliminated and X team gets NA's #3 spot in groups instead.

coeurloyalAug 24, 20171 votes

Actually, the number 3 seed from LPL, NA, EU, and LMS go to the play-in regardless. Only the LCK is immune to the play-in. Our only punishment for coming in 5th at MSI was giving up our tier 1 seed.

http://riot-web-cdn.s3-us-west-1.amazonaws.com/lolesports/s3fs-public/styles/centered/public/2017_worlds_playin_format-fin.jpg?VGkrrhhUgXB6uEmEf3uCR0bQGU66MKiq&itok=rOSMfZjj

III BAKURYU III Aug 24, 20171 votes

Jesus, play-in stage and #1 tier seed gone for NA. Meh, NA didn't do much before the change at worlds anyways. No offense to other countries or anything, but the possibility of LPL/NA/EU/LMS #3 seeds all or 2-3 being eliminated will just be an even bigger slaughter for the LCK teams against the other teams around the world. Have to wait and see tho.

What about you, do you like the new format ? Do you think adding more teams within Groups would have been better than the new Riot Worlds format ? Will King's book adaptation of IT be any good when it comes out in theaters ? Will TSM actually make it past groups this year ?

coeurloyalAug 25, 20172 votes

From what I've seen so far, I don't. I really didn't like the way that the play-in stage extended MSI; I have to imagine the play-ins here will cause much of the same fatigue if I try to watch it again. It also bothers me that they don't specify whether each of the 4 major regions will be split into a different group. If there's a possibility that we can get #3 seeds from NA, LPL, and LMS in the same group, for example, I don't like that at all.

Also, I don't like that LCK gets an automatic walk. Yes, I realize that their teams are going to get there anyways, but this whole 'seeding by last split' thing isn't working for me because it holds a recency bias that doesn't even apply to the following tournament. So much has changed between MSI and Worlds that regional power between LPL/NA/EU/LMS will have entirely shifted. I think we're to the point that most viewers just want to see somebody beat the LCK, and it doesn't help that we're handicapping one of the other major regions and simultaneously giving the LCK an advantage. The only benefit the top seed/region should have is in the seeding itself--any other advantage shifts too much favor.

III BAKURYU III Aug 25, 20171 votes

I wasn't a fan of the format either when I first looked at it, I understand the whole " X region did bad this year, so now this is their punishment" but it's too early to do that. For example, when College football introduced the Playoff-Format the league didn't do it that year that they announced it, but instead 1-2 years after so it gives teams time to prepare for it, on top of that lets not forget that Riot always seems to introduce a new meta/patches/changes like 2 weeks before the biggest tournament in the scene.
So an X region that was kinda bad, gets a bad placement, a bad group and a new meta, too much in my opinion.

I love watching league but honestly I was fatigued after the play-in stage myself and that's something an audience member shouldn't feel, especially when it's like 1/3 of the tournament itself.
I like adding more teams to Worlds so it feels like an actual WORLDS instead of just 4 regions and LMS but the possibility of those X regions facing LMS/LPL/NA/NA #3 and might eliminate such regions only to face higher competition is head-scratching in my opinion.

Point is, I personally would have liked to see either more teams in 4 groups or 8 groups with 4 teams in such, instead of 1-2 rounds of play-in stages for teams to get fatigued only to get destroyed by LCK.

leaguewutAug 23, 20173 votes

IMO points should've only been forfeited if the team actually got relegated. That, and the gauntlet could just be extended to allow all teams with points to get in, where the seeds below the present gauntlet would just get 3-game series.

Miror BAug 23, 20172 votes

The problem of course being that there'd be no sense of "authenticity" to said team should they make it to worlds. I'll use this as an example:

-Team "Liquid" goes to relegation tournament, goes 3-2 against both challenger teams -Team then qualifies for worlds, goes 0-6 in their group stages

You could then argue that said team shouldn't have been there anyways as they could barely beat the challenger team.

In unrelated news, I think they forgot option 4: buyout. Theoretically, a team could pay all the other teams not to show up and attend in their place. While highly unlikely, I would not be surprised to see a guy (let's call him "Steve") try this.

leaguewutAug 25, 20171 votes

Even if the team won the first split outright, the points from second place automatically would win out. There is no scenario where the not-quite-relegated team would get automatically qualified from Spring. The gauntlet would provide authenticity.

Miror BAug 25, 20171 votes

I heavily disagree with the idea that a gauntlet would provide authenticity. If a team enters the promo tournament, that almost always means they're ridiculously bad in some aspect (I'll use 10th and 9th place teams of past as an example in this case). In spring, NV was hindered by their inability to close games and their midlaner who literally made alex ich look like a quality player. In 2016 summer, echo fox suffered from a severe lack of actual player talent combined with win conditions that were so specific as to make it nigh-impossible (you basically needed froggen to get fed, the game to go 45+ mins, and hope the enemy posed zero aggressive threat the entire time a la how jin air won games for 2 years). In 2016 spring, Dignitas played so passively that teams could literally take any objectives they wanted off of them and usually not have to trade anything in return.

Now, assuming better teams in the gauntlet couldn't beat them again (after they did so in the regular season), why should we send teams with clear massive flaws to represent NA as a region? 7th I'm kinda OK with as C9 proved that they can do damage at worlds with that spot, anything lower and I'm heavily against as it'd be like sending a NACS team to go fight LCK/LPL teams.

AvvuraAug 23, 20173 votes

I hate how C9 gets Finals in Spring and Quarters in Summer but IMT, who didnt even make playoffs in Spring, can just make Finals in Summer and automatically get the tiebreaker. I would like to see 2nd place get enough points to get a high seed in Gauntlet if they missed playoffs in Spring, but....man 3rd and 4th seeds are out and all it takes is a win to semis to go on points...dammit C9...dammit.

SharoozAug 23, 20172 votes

LETS GO CLG

TrollFan01Aug 23, 20171 votes

1 spot is already taken for it's a fight for the 2 reminding ones.

hiro157Aug 23, 20171 votes

Why can't C9 make it to worlds without playing in the gauntlet? Pretty much if TSM wins the split C9 are 2nd in championship points since the closest one is CLG with 10 and if they get 2nd they only have 80 points while C9 have 90

TaihlAug 23, 20171 votes

The tiebreaker for Points is that the team that qualified higher THIS SPLIT would take precedence. Keep in mind that Second place in the summer split is 90 points.

GIFT OF LOVEAug 23, 20171 votes

Well it depends. If C9 has more points than IMT, then C9 will go to worlds as seond seed. If IMT has same points as C9, then IMT goes as second seed. If CLG gets 2nd place, then they will be 2nd for sure. Most likely C9 gauntlet.

rtbf51773067Aug 23, 20171 votes

C9 can not go to worlds as second seed it is not possible they have to play in the gauntlet any team that makes it to finals will get 2nd or 1st unless tsm fall off in semis

IEXZakatAug 23, 20171 votes

C9 has collected all the points they can and is done at 90. whoever wins in semis passes C9 in points. IMT at 90, CLG and DIG at 100 (TSM has 130 at worst even if they lose out.)

HybrîdAug 23, 20171 votes

If CLG took second place, tey would actually put them at 100 points however C9 would be at 100. If any team other than TSM wins the split they will be in gauntlet. If IMT gets second, despite having the same championship points, IMT would take the tie breaker due to performance this split. Hope this wasn't too confusing [slayer-jinx-wink]

BigBellBruteAug 23, 20173 votes

{quoted}

Why can't C9 make it to worlds without playing in the gauntlet? Pretty much if TSM wins the split C9 are 2nd in championship points since the closest one is CLG with 10 and if they get 2nd they only have 80 points while C9 have 90

2nd place on summer split gets 90. CLG would then have 100 if they get 2nd, IMT 90. And the tie breaker would be who got more points in Summer and that would be IMT. If Anyone other than TSM wins the summer split, TSM gets in on points. So c-9 only has the gauntlet.

RiotRiot chl0eAug 26, 20173 votes

{quoted}

Why can't C9 make it to worlds without playing in the gauntlet? Pretty much if TSM wins the split C9 are 2nd in championship points since the closest one is CLG with 10 and if they get 2nd they only have 80 points while C9 have 90

Sorry for the late response!

Summer is worth more than spring, points-wise. If CLG earns 2nd they'll earn 90 points and have 100. If IMT earns 2nd, they'll have 90, and have more summer points than C9 does, so they would qualify over C9.

III BAKURYU III Aug 23, 20171 votes

1 single split/Season - No points, no regional tournament, no 2 splits with 2 "Finals" - One Final, One Champion, 1 tournament with the winner being #1, the runner-up #2 and a 3rd place between the two teams eliminated in the second round ! When did the best team/format become so annoying to understand at times?

ArchäenAug 23, 20172 votes

Personally I like the current format. In sports that follow the format you listed, the teams play every other team that would be competing in the championship. This is not true for League or other sports of a multi-national nature. Hence the need for more than a single competition.

III BAKURYU III Aug 24, 20171 votes

Interesting, would you think the same if say more teams are included within the default/previous Worlds group stage? For example instead of 4 teams in every group, just add 4 more teams or add 1-2 more groups with the same amount as before ?

SuperiorFlash920Aug 23, 20171 votes

How does fly qualify? Every other team will have more points than them.

III BAKURYU III Aug 23, 20171 votes

FQ has 30 points, they secured the 7th seed within the Summer Standings, very similar to how C9 did during 2015.

SuperiorFlash920Aug 23, 20171 votes

Yah but even if another team,imt for example, has zero points and gets 4th, they will still have 40 pts, more than fly.

SuperiorFlash920Aug 23, 20171 votes

Nvm, I see what you mean. I forgot to remove the two teams in the final.

III BAKURYU III Aug 23, 20171 votes

All good, it's a hell trying to figure this stuff out anyways lol

Count BuffonAug 30, 20171 votes

They don't really explain anything. I thought NV was going to get points, but either they didn't or it wasn't enough.

BigBellBruteAug 30, 20171 votes

[{quoted}](name=Count Buffon,realm=NA,application-id=9hBQwnEU,discussion-id=lvVg4qAi,comment-id=00060000000000000001,timestamp=2017-08-30T04:00:15.306+0000)

They don't really explain anything. I thought NV was going to get points, but either they didn't or it wasn't enough.

It wasn't enough. They had to beat CLG in the first round to get into the gauntlet.

starbreezeAug 23, 20171 votes

it would be IMT vs Flyquest, Winner vs Dig, Winner vs C9 so there would be like 3-4 sets

III BAKURYU III Aug 23, 20171 votes

What if, TSM beats DIG and CLG beats IMT, followed up by TSM beating CLG in the Finals. Wouldn't that mean Immortals would be eliminated period since they have 0 points anyways and if TSM gets the #1 seed "if" they win the Finals and CLG are #2 seed in a losing effort, how could there be a gauntlet with only( C9/DIG/FQ) or does the gauntlet not have an established # of teams each year ?

starbreezeAug 23, 20172 votes

If IMT lose in Semis, they go play the 3rd/4th place match which still grants championship points meaning they can run the gauntlet

KaidenAug 24, 20171 votes

Clg beats immortals in semis like normal but loses to tsm in finals, both of them are in. Hai is on flyquest so they reverse sweep gauntlet by default.

Count BuffonAug 29, 20171 votes

DIG vs C9 would be a fun rematch. FLY vs C9 would be super unlikely, but great for the grudge match factor. I'm not really in the mood for CLG though.

BigBellBruteAug 29, 20172 votes

[{quoted}](name=Count Buffon,realm=NA,application-id=9hBQwnEU,discussion-id=lvVg4qAi,comment-id=000b,timestamp=2017-08-29T06:13:05.662+0000)

DIG vs C9 would be a fun rematch. FLY vs C9 would be super unlikely, but great for the grudge match factor. I'm not really in the mood for CLG though.

Well at the moment, it looks like CLG isn't really in the mood for CLG either. But each week is a new week.