The League of Legends World Championship has become the second esports series to surpass 1 billion hours of watch time in the Esports Charts database, following the ML:BB Professional League. Since 2016, Worlds has consistently ranked as one of the top esports events and has now reached the pinnacle of the livestreaming industry.
While the World Championship fell slightly behind the MPL in watch hours, with the LCK close behind both, it’s important to note that the MPL and LCK benefit from hosting multiple events annually. In comparison, the World Championship is a yearly event. With roughly eight times fewer events than the MPL, Worlds only accounts for 12% of MPL’s total broadcast time.
Notably, Worlds is now the first PC or console esports event series to hit the 1 billion hours watched milestone. However, it’s not the only popular League of Legends circuit, as various regional leagues and the Mid-Season Invitational also rank highly in watch time.
over the years
Over the years, Worlds has continually attracted new audiences and evolved into one of the most global esports spectacles. Since its debut in 2011, the championship has grown to become a prominent event, breaking viewership records along the way. For instance, last year’s peak Korean viewership exceeded the combined peak audience of the 2016 Worlds.
Certain regions have emerged as significant parts of the League of Legends audience. Vietnamese fans, once behind Korean and English audiences, are now a key viewership base, while Spanish, Portuguese, and French audiences remain strong. Brazilian fans, in particular, have been rapidly growing, with viewership spikes when Brazilian teams participate. Japan has also seen a surge in interest, with over 150,000 concurrent viewers tuning in from the country last year, compared to just a few thousand in previous years.
Ultimately, the success of Worlds reflects the broader appeal of League of Legends to a global audience. From Asia to South America and Europe, MOBA fans tune in to watch one of the biggest esports events each year. As the game continues to grow in regions like Brazil and Vietnam, Worlds is likely to keep breaking records and shaping the future of esports.