eSports
Riot Games Reveals Multi-City Tour across North America for 2022 League of Legends World Championship

Riot Games announced that its premier esports event, the League of Legends World Championship, returns to North America for the first time since 2016 with a continental tour.
The Worlds 2022 event will feature:
- Play-Ins in Mexico City, Mexico;
- Groups and Quarterfinals in New York City;
- Semifinals in Toronto, Canada;
- Finals in San Francisco, California.
This will be the first time Riot Games has hosted a multinational North American Worlds, making first-time stops in both Mexico and Canada.
The announcement was made at a press conference at Chase Center prior to the Golden State Warriors vs. Toronto Raptors NBA game featuring teams from the semifinal city (Toronto) and final city (San Francisco). Participants outlined Riot’s plan to “canvas North America,” with the final two stops being Scotiabank Arena, home of the Toronto Raptors, and Chase Center, home of the six-time NBA Champion Golden State Warriors.
The Worlds 2022 venue lineup also includes Play-Ins from LoL Esports’ Liga Latinoamerica (LLA) competition arena before contesting both Groups and the Quarterfinals at the HuluĀ TheaterĀ at Madison Square Garden.
“The momentum behind League of Legends Esports has only continued to grow since the last time we hosted Worlds in the U.S. in 2016. We’re thrilled to bring the full scale of our global sport back to North America, and, COVID permitting, welcome fans into the stands across three countries and four different cities,” said Naz Aletaha, Global Head of LoL Esports.
“Worlds is the showcase of the greatest of our sport, and we look forward to celebrating that with our fans in North America and across the world.”
Chase Center, also home of the Golden Guardians, a team in LoL Esports’ North American league (LCS), opened its doors in 2019. It is an award-winning sports and entertainment arena that boasts a seating capacity of 18,064. In addition to Warriors’ home games, the venue also hosts a variety of concerts, conventions, and other large-scale events.
Chase Center will be the 10th unique arena to host a Worlds Final. The most recent Worlds Finals venues and locations include the Laugardalshƶll Sport Center in ReykjavĆk, Iceland (2021); SAIC Motor Pudong Arena in China (2020); AccorHotels Arena in Paris, France (2019); Incheon Munhak Stadium in Incheon, South Korea (2018); Beijing National Stadium in Beijing, China (2017); and the Staples Center in Los Angeles (2016).
Scotiabank Arena, also home to the Toronto Maple Leafs, opened its doors in 1999 and is often ranked the #1 Canadian arena. The venue has been recognized with more than 50 industry awards highlighting the venue’s security, accessibility, fan service, environmental commitment, food and beverage, marketing, design, partnerships, live entertainment, sales and box office service.
Sunday’s announcement prior to the Warriors vs. Raptors game featured Riot’s senior most esports executives alongside top casters and LoL Esports players:
- John Needham, President, Esports at Riot Games
- Naz Aletaha, Global Head of LoL Esports
- Chris Greeley, Head of Esports, North America and Oceania Pacific
- Martin Blaquier, Head of Esports, Latin America
- Eric “Licorice” Ritchie, top laner for Golden Guardians, LCS
- Choi “huhi” Jae-hyun, support for 100 Thieves, LCS
- Isaac “Azael” Cummings-Bentley, commentator and analyst
- Sam “Kobe” Hartman-Kenzler, commentator and analyst
Worlds is the pinnacle of LoL Esports competition in which the top teams from 12 diverse regions compete for the world champion title. Held at the end of the regular season in a different host region each year, 24 teams from Riot’s 12 professional leagues participate in the month-long tournament to crown one team as the best in the world. The 2020 World Championship shattered previous viewership records with more than 45.95 million peak concurrent viewers worldwide and an average minute audience (AMA) of more than 23.04 million.
In November 2021, the 2021 Worlds Final came down to Worlds defending champions and heavy favorites DWG KIA from Riot Games’ South Korean league, LCK, facing EDward Gaming, the top-seeded team from Riot’s China league, LPL. EDG raised the Summoner’s Cup trophy and earned Mercedes-Benz championship rings after a thrilling best-of-five series. Worlds 2021 set new viewership records for esports that surpassed Worlds 2020’s numbers, with a report detailing official numbers to be released in December.
eSports
Fighting Game GOAT Justin Wong Joins BASILISK, Scienceās Esports Team

BASILISK, the global esports organization built to champion science, announced the signing of legendary fighting game competitor Justin āJwongā Wong as captain of its newly formed Fighting Game Community (FGC) Division. Wong will lead BASILISKās entry into the FGC by recruiting players, developing community events, and creating FGC – science crossover content.
āJustin isnāt just a competitive genius ā he is a cultural icon and humble leader within the FGC. We are incredibly proud to have him leading our FGC division and support the amazing work he already does for the community,ā said BASILISK co-founder Christopher Bothur.
A nine-time Evolution Championship Series (Evo) Champion and Guinness World Record holder, Wong brings unparalleled FGC credibility and expertise to BASILISK. His reach extends across the entire FGC fandom of millions, and he was immortalized in Evo Moment #37 which has over 100 million views.
As Captain of BASILISK FGC, Wong will leverage BASILISKās data analytics to scout and train the next generation of FGC pros.
āMath is super important to fighting games. Iām excited to join scienceās esports team. Iām passionate about finding promising players with a positive mentality and shaping them into the next big thing. I want to see somebody else in the spotlight after me and help them reach their potential. If we can discover the next world champion, that would be fantastic,ā said Wong upon joining BASILISK.
The signing comes on the heels of BASILISKās new partnerships with The Planetary Society and Caltechās Institute for Quantum Information and Matter (IQIM), announced in July. These collaborations create a powerful bridge between renowned scientific institutions and gamers, which Wong will amplify to his millions of followers and fans.
āJustin is a dream addition to our organization. He exemplifies the dedication and analytical capacity required to be an esports champion or great scientist,ā added BASILISK co-founder Hans Kassier.
Wong becomes the second āGOATā (Greatest of All Time) to join BASILISK, alongside Finnish StarCraft 2 legend Joona āSerralā Sotala, who just captured the SC2 Esports World Cup Championship in July 2025. The signing also creates opportunities for cross-over content with BASILISKās diverse roster, including chess Grandmaster Vincent Keymer and award-winning science communicator Kyle Hill, who brings over 2.5 million followers and a vast network of science enthusiasts to the organization.
eSports
Fighting Game GOAT Justin Wong Joins BASILISK, Scienceās Esports Team

Nine-time Evo Champion and Guinness World Record Holder Brings Legendary Status to Captain New Team, Recruit Talent, and Advance Scienceās Role in Competitive Gaming
BASILISK, the global esports organization built to champion science, today announced the signing of legendary fighting game competitor Justin āJWongā Wong as captain of its newly formed Fighting Game Community (FGC) Division. Wong will lead BASILISKās entry into the FGC by recruiting players, developing community events, and creating FGC – science crossover content.
āJustin isnāt just a competitive genius ā he is a cultural icon and humble leader within the FGC,ā said BASILISK co-founder Christopher Bothur. āWe are incredibly proud to have him leading our FGC division and support the amazing work he already does for the community.ā
A nine-time Evolution Championship Series (Evo) Champion and Guinness World Record holder, Wong brings unparalleled FGC credibility and expertise to BASILISK. His reach extends across the entire FGC fandom of millions, and he was immortalized in Evo Moment #37 which has over 100 million views.
As Captain of BASILISK FGC, Wong will leverage BASILISKās data analytics to scout and train the next generation of FGC pros.
āMath is super important to fighting games. Iām excited to join scienceās esports team,ā said Wong upon joining BASILISK. āI’m passionate about finding promising players with a positive mentality and shaping them into the next big thing. I want to see somebody else in the spotlight after me and help them reach their potential. If we can discover the next world champion, that would be fantastic.ā
The signing comes on the heels of BASILISKās new partnerships with The Planetary Society and Caltechās Institute for Quantum Information and Matter (IQIM), announced in July. These collaborations create a powerful bridge between renowned scientific institutions and gamers, which Wong will amplify to his millions of followers and fans.
āJustin is a dream addition to our organization,ā added BASILISK co-founder Hans Kassier. āHe exemplifies the dedication and analytical capacity required to be an esports champion or great scientist.ā
Wong becomes the second āGOATā (Greatest of All Time) to join BASILISK, alongside Finnish StarCraft 2 legend Joona āSerralā Sotala, who just captured the SC2 Esports World Cup Championship in July 2025. The signing also creates opportunities for cross-over content with BASILISK’s diverse roster, including chess Grandmaster Vincent Keymer and award-winning science communicator Kyle Hill, who brings over 2.5 million followers and a vast network of science enthusiasts to the organization.
Compliance Updates
Oddin.gg Officially Registered with LOTBA as a Supplier in the City of Buenos Aires

Oddin.gg has been officially registered as a supplier by the Lottery of the City of Buenos Aires (LOTBA). This authorization clears the way for Oddin.gg to provide its end-to-end esports betting ecosystemāincluding its Odds Feed, Risk Management, BetBuilder, Widgets, and moreāto licensed operators in the City of Buenos Aires. The milestone reinforces Oddin.ggās strategic focus on supporting partners across Latin America.
LOTBA, the regulatory authority for online gaming within the Autonomous City of Buenos Aires, is well known for its rigorous compliance and technical standards. While the body manages licensing and enforcement, suppliers must undergo a formal registration process before providing services to local operators. Oddin.ggās successful registration confirms that it has met all relevant technical, financial, and compliance requirements.
Juana Bischoff, Senior Business Development Manager LATAM at Oddin.gg, said: āBeing officially registered with LOTBA marks an important step in Oddin.ggās long-term commitment to the Latin American market. Esports is gaining real traction across the region, and we want operators in Buenos Airesāand beyondāto have the tools and insight to deliver a top-tier esports betting experience. Weāre not just bringing leading technologyāweāre bringing the local expertise and regulatory awareness needed to help our partners like Betsson and Jugadon grow.ā
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