The 2024 League of Legends World Championship Swiss stage is finally here. Sixteen of the game’s best will battle it out for a shot at the summoners cup. There are some spicy opening games, and for T1 Keria, their game couldn’t be any more challenging for the defending world champions.
T1 is limping into the Worlds 2024 after a less-than-desirable Summer campaign meaning they had to run the regional qualifiers gauntlet for an opportunity to defend their crown. The hard times don’t stop there, and Keria revealed the team hasn’t fully adapted to the new timezone yet in an interview with Dot’s Cecilia Ciocchetti. “It’s been three or four days, and we’ve been practicing nonstop. I don’t think we’re completely adapted to the new timezone, a little jet lag still,” he told Dot Esports.
On Sunday, Sept. 29, Riot Games did the Swiss stage draw for round one. There are plenty of spicy games to watch on the opening day. For Keria, he believes T1 could not have gotten a harder opponent for the first round of the Swiss stage. Top Esports comes into this World Championship with a point to prove. Despite having a star-studded roster, the LPL squad hasn’t had the best of years. Nevertheless, Keria has a lot of admiration for the Chinese representatives.
Keria said Top Esports did a “great job” in the Summer regular season and, although lost in the playoffs, “showed a great performance.” Keria added that Top Esports were “the strongest opponent” they could face on the Swiss stage. When a team gets a seal of approval from the defending world champion and one of the world’s best, you best believe this is a matchup for the ages.
Despite T1’s long-standing ability to ignore their past performances as soon as the world championship begins, Keria isn’t taking Top Esports lightly. “We thought they were very strong. We met them in the Esports World Cup and we have watched a lot of LPL vods. We are just constantly talking what we can do in this meta against them,” he said. Both teams must get off to a strong start at Worlds. The Swiss system is an unforgiving format, and you can quickly find yourself down 0-2 depending on the teams you draw.
Fans can catch T1 start the defense of their world title when they take on Top Esports at 8am CT later today.
Published: Oct 3, 2024 05:52 am