As we know, there has been some notable information regarding the Esports World Cup (EWC) for various esports titles, which will be held in Riyadh, Saudi Arabia, this coming summer. The tournament will feature a wide range of games, including League of Legends. Moreover, it is almost certain that major names in the esports scene will be participating. Notably, the prize pool for the tournament exceeds 60 million USD, making it one of the highest prize pools in esports history to date. For those who don’t know, this amount is significantly larger than the 40 million USD from The International 2021 – the annual tournament for DOTA 2.
Recently, images of T1 appeared in the trailer announcing the latest tournament released by the organizers. Additionally, the tournament also posted an image of Faker that surprised many viewers. However, T1’s participation in the EWC is not particularly surprising, as T1 is one of the largest esports organizations in the world. Furthermore, in League of Legends – a game that will also be contested in the EWC, T1 is one of the most decorated names and boasts the G.O.A.T of the League of Legends scene.
However, while promoting the tournament with Faker’s image is one thing, the question remains whether T1 will actually send its strongest lineup to compete in the EWC. If the tournament takes place between June and September, it will clash with the 2024 LCK Summer Split schedule. Following that will be the 2024 Worlds – an event that will undoubtedly attract more attention.
Perhaps, the EWC could be organized similarly to last year’s Hangzhou ASIAD, held over a short period for each game. This would make more sense, as many competitions are being contested at the EWC. If each game takes too long, the tournament could stretch out until the end of the year. Not to mention, players like Faker have numerous other tournaments ahead as well as a packed training and streaming schedule.
Therefore, while Faker’s appearance in the promotional clip is one thing, whether T1 can bring its strongest roster to compete in the EWC’s League of Legends section is another matter. In fact, if unexpected situations arise, T1 could very well decline to participate in the tournament to ensure the best conditions for their players.