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There is a curse surrounding the League of Legends World Championship. Since 2015, no team has ever won the Summoner's Cup in their home country. In the tournament's ten-year history, there have only been two instances when a team managed to secure the title while holding the proverbial home court advantage.
South Korea's DAMWON Gaming demolished China's Suning in a 3-1 win this weekend in the Worlds 2020 Grand Finals. Damwon effectively reinvigorated South Korean League of Legends, but they also dealt a massive blow to their rival and neighbor, China. Suning had the chance of securing the first ever world championship title on Chinese soil, following the collective downfall of the Chinese teams in Worlds 2017. Suning joins the extensive list of teams that failed to secure world championship titles on their home turf. Let's take a look at the brief history of this curse plaguing the game's grandest tournament.
South Korea's Samsung Galaxy White first broke the home court curse in their victory over China's Star Horn Royal Club during Worlds 2014 in South Korea. The previous home court win of any team took place in the first ever world championship. Europe's Fnatic, took home the win in the first world championship in Sweden. Immediately following Samsung White's victory in South Korea, SK Telecom T1 laid claim to the next two world titles. The Playoffs stage of Worlds 2015 took place all across Europe, however no EU team successfully made it past the semifinals stage. SKT faced off against fellow South Korean team, KOO Tigers in the grand finals in Berlin.
The following iteration of the tournament was just as bleak for the hosting region as Worlds headed to the USA in 2016. SKT returned to the grand finals stage in Los Angeles, shutting out any hope for a North American champion. They faced off against the new Samsung Galaxy squad, where they secured their third world championship title. Unlike the EU teams of Worlds 2015, no North American squad even managed to make it to the semifinals stage of the Worlds 2016 playoffs.
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Worlds 2017 was the prime chance for a team from China to secure the region's first ever title. China hosted the prestigious tournament for the first time in the game's history. This gave the local teams extra motivation to aim for the Summoner's Cup. There were two local squads that made their way to the semifinals only to fall at the hands of visiting teams. Samsung Galaxy would eventually run away with the world championship title, dismantling SKT's dynasty in the process.
China would gain its chance to claim World titles in the two following world championships. China's Invictus Gaming stole the show in 2018 against EU's Fnatic in Incheon, South Korea. Worlds 2018 also marked the first instance where a South Korean team did not make it to the semifinals stage.
Europe hosted the 2019 World Championship as the curse continued in Paris. China's FunPlus Phoenix decimated the G2 Esports in a brutal 3-0 grand finals series, to secure China's second consecutive title. G2 Esports was the first team to defend its home court since 2014.
DAMWON has extended the home town curse run to six years and it's anyone's guess who will win next year. The competition is heating up with strong competitors rising from every region. China will have another shot at a home title next year as Worlds 2021 will take place in China. Will this curse finally be broken?
