MSI group draw revealed at LCS spring playoff final

After the conclusion of the 2022 League of Legends Championship Series spring playoff loser’s bracket final on Saturday, the league hosted the group draw for the Mid-season Invitational. MSI is a yearly, international competition that marks the halfway point of professional season and pits the best teams each spring split against each other.

MSI group draws decided

After Evil Geniuses’ dominant sweep of Team Liquid earlier in the day, the LCS hosted the MSI group draw with three special guests: former LCS player William “Meteos” Hartman and Twitch streamers Lily “lilypichu” Ki and Michael Reeves. Each personality made three random choices to seed teams into one of Group A, B or C. The groups as follows:

The #MSI2022 Groups: pic.twitter.com/YPXA53AdWM

— LoL Esports (@lolesports) April 23, 2022

Group A contains the most dominant team in League of Legends Champions Korea history, T1. With them are three minor region teams, the Vietnam Championship Series’ Saigon Buffalo, Liga Latinoamérica’s Team Aze and the League of Legends Japan League’s DetonatioN FocusMe. T1 are the definite favorites in this group, as they went undefeated throughout the season and LCK playoffs. They remain undoubtedly the best team in one of the strongest regions in the world.

The story of group B is similar to Group A, which is led by League of Legends Pro League representative Royal Never Give Up, the Pacific Championship Series’ PSG Talon, the Turkish Championship League’s Istanbul Wildcats and Campeonato Brasileiro de League of Legend’s RED Canids. As defending MSI champions, RNG are likely to dominate the group. PSG Talon might be the only team that could contest them, as they had a strong run at last year’s League of Legends World Championship knockout stage.

Finally, Group C contains all the remaining teams: The LCS representative, which will be decided on Sunday, the League of Legends European Championship’s G2 Esports and the League of Legends Circuit Oceania’s ORDER. With the two best teams in the west set for an early collision course, ORDER will serve as the group’s dark horse. Historically, LCO teams have been able to stump teams at international events. At last year’s world championship, Pentanet.gg earned upset wins and got close to making the group stage.

The MSI group stage will begin on May 10 in Busan, South Korea.