Image via Riot Games

How to watch TFT Set 8 NA Defender Cup tournament

The road to Worlds begins.

Kicking off Teamfight Tactics North America organized play for Set Eight Monsters’ Attack! is the Defender Cup, showcasing four days of competition and 160 players. 

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Competitive TFT gameplay returns in January with the NA Defender Cup taking place over the course of two weekends. Eligible to compete in the tournament were the top 160 players on the North American Ranked ladder. Similar to last season, the top-ranked 32 players on the ladder bypass the first two days of competition, based on ladder snapshots from Jan. 9. Top players at the TFT Set Eight NA Defender Cup will earn qualifier points and invites to the Mid-Set Finale, scheduled to take place from March 3 to 5.

Where can I watch the TFT Set Eight Defender Cup?

The NA Defender Cup will run from Jan. 14 to 15, and from Jan. 21 to 22, starting at 3pm CT. The first weekend of the tournament won’t have a broadcast but viewers can watch individual players compete through their streams. 

Broadcast coverage will take place on Jan. 21 and 22 through Twitch, starting at 3pm CT.  

Wisdom and Riot have stepped up production for the NA TFT Set Eight season, showcasing a total of 11 casters covering the event. 

  • Nathan “Admirable” Zamora
  • Rainplosion
  • Chris “Boop” Lessard
  • Meeix
  • Dan “Frodan” Chou
  • Bryce “esportslaw” Blum
  • Jennifer” LemonKiwi” Pichette
  • Kien “Mean Mister Kien” Lam
  • Khalif “Khroen” Hashim
  • Rosemary “Nekkra” Kelley
  • TFT designer Stephen “Mortdog” Mortimer

Casting the NA Defender cup are Admirable, esportslaw, Frodan, LemonKiwi, and Mortdog.

What is the format for the NA Defender Cup?

A total of 128 players will compete starting on Jan. 14 through Patch 13.1 with the top 64 advancing to Jan. 15. Players in the top 24 from day one will earn bonus points to start day two. Both days one and two will feature six games with the top 32 following two days of competition advancing to the second weekend of the NA Defender Cup. 

Day three on Jan. 21 will showcase a total of 64 players, the top 32 from the first weekend of play and the top 32 from the ladder snapshots. Players will compete in six games with the top 32 advancing to day four and the top 12 earning bonus points for the final day of competition. 

The finals of the NA Defender Cup will showcase 32 players that will play five games. After five games the top eight will play two more games to determine the top four who will earn direct invites to the TFT Set Eight Mid-Set Finale. The top eight who advance after game five will all earn invites to the Corrupted Cup, scheduled to take place in February.

Updated Jan. 21 at 12pm CT: Casters for the Defender Cup were added.


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Danny Forster
Lead Magic: The Gathering/Teamfight Tactics scribe and staff writer for Dot Esports. Danny is a gamer beach bum residing in Spacecoast Florida and has been a journalist for seven years, of which five have been at Dot Esports. Prior media outllets Danny wrote for were Screen Rant and TheGamer. You can typically catch Danny playing TCGs and a variety of strategic games. He also hangs out on Twitter @Dannyspacecoast.