- COVID-19 concerns have caused the LPL Spring Split playoffs to be delayed once again
- The event will resume on April 12, with a match between Top Esports and Victory Five
- The winning team will get invited to the MSI 2022 but might be unable to attend it
The LPL Spring Split playoffs stage has been delayed by four more days because of the COVID-19 situation in Shanghai.
The Spring Split Playoffs Get Postponed Once Again
The Tencent League of Legends Pro League (LPL) continues to have its plans messed up by COVID-19. As concerns about a new wave of the pandemic grow, the organizers have decided to postpone the Spring Split playoffs stage until April 12.
This marks the second time the playoffs have been postponed. Originally planned to take place in March, the stage’s starting date was changed to April 8. As it turns out, it will now be delayed by five additional days.
According to the organizers, the decision was made to “protect the health and safety” of the LPL players, team personnel and staff. Currently, Shanghai is under quarantine to impede the spread of COVID-19.
The League Returns on April 12
The LPL Spring Split playoffs will see four teams compete for the first spot in the event. The qualified teams include the following:
- JD Gaming
- Royal Never Give Up
- Top Esports
- Victory Five
This means that there will be a total of six matches in a best-of-five format. The first of the bunch will be a game between Top Esports and Victory Five, scheduled to take place on the playoffs’ opening day. It will be followed by a game between JD Gaming and Royal Never Give Up. As of now, the LPL plans to hold the semifinal on April 20. Analysts predict that the grand final will likely happen shortly after that.
The winning team will notably receive an invitation to the Mid-Season Invitational tournament in Busan, South Korea. Sadly, as it turns out, Chinese teams might be unable to participate in the event because of Shanghai’s COVID-19 restrictions. Going to Korea means that teams will have to go into month-long isolation. That will effectively make them miss out on the LPL Summer Split. This may get avoided if Riot Games allows LPL teams to play remotely during the MSI.
