China’s first LoL team going to MSI 2023 confirmed after upper bracket blowout

The field of teams at this year’s League of Legends Mid-Season Invitational is taking shape, and today, the first team out of the LPL qualified for the event. After a successful season that saw them reach the semifinals of the World Championship last year, JD Gaming will return to the international stage. Today, they defeated Edward Gaming in the upper bracket finals of the LPL Spring Playoffs, booking both a trip to the LPL finals and the Mid-Season Invitational. 

Today’s series against EDG was a one-sided affair, as JDG secured a quick three-game sweep, with each game being quicker than the last. The third game of the match was particularly lopsided, as JDG put the final nail in EDG’s coffin in just 25 minutes, barreling them down with a kill score of 25-8 in that final game. 

Related: Here’s the full breakdown of all format changes coming to the League Mid-Season Invitational in 2023

This season, major region leagues will send two teams to MSI. In years past, only the champions of each region could represent their region at the tournament. This means that China, North America, and Korea will send their champions and runners-up to MSI. The only exception to that rule is found in the LEC, where the champions of the Winter Split and Spring Split both attend the tournament. 

With MSI’s new format in mind, EDG will have another chance to qualify on April 11, when they face off against Bilibili Gaming in a win-or-go-home match. The winner of that series will head to the LPL Spring Finals, where JDG awaits. 

The champion of the LPL will be seeded directly into the MSI bracket stage, while the runner-up will have to play through the tournament’s play-in stage.