In June, Riot Games announced significant changes to the League of Legends esports ecosystem, starting in 2025. This included moving the Mid-Season Invitational to July, fueling rumors that it could be part of the Esports World Cup and held in the Middle East. However, Riot has since debunked the rumor.
"Peyz… It's a bit disappointing"
In an X-post on July 11, Chris Greeley, global head of strategy for League Esports, assured fans that MSI will not be taking place in the Middle East. "MSI's move to July was in the works before we knew about the EWC. While the timing is certainly coincidental, I can say with certainty that MSI 2025 will not be taking place anywhere in the Middle East (and it is not currently planned for future years)," Greeley wrote.
The Esports World Cup made its debut this year. It runs from July 3 to August 25, with dozens of organizations competing in a variety of games, including Counter-Strike 2, Dota 2, EA FC 24, and League. Eight teams from the latter competed in the competition, with T1 emerging as the winner. The clash of schedules led fans to fear that EWC would become part of MSI or replace it altogether.
In the same thread, Greeley answered another question about League's new, third international esports tournament. More specifically, he confirmed that it will not be played in the Middle East. The event is scheduled to take place between the first and second splits starting in 2025.
