MSI 2023: Schedule, results, standings, format, teams, where to watch

Updated on May 9, 2:47 p.m. (GMT+8): Added bracket stage schedule.

This year’s Mid-Season Invitational (MSI 2023) will be unlike any other.

Earlier this year, Riot Games announced that the annual international tournament will undergo major format changes, with the inclusion of two more teams, bringing the total number of participating teams from 11 to 13.

The major regions — LCS, LEC, LCK, and LPL — each get to fly in two representatives to London in the United Kingdom, the venue of MSI 2023.

Here’s everything you need to know about MSI, including its schedule, results, standings, format, teams, and where to watch the tournament.

What is the Mid Season Invitational 2023 (MSI 2023)?

The League of Legends Mid-Season Invitational (LoL MSI) is the first international tournament of the competitive year, held between Spring and Summer splits (except for the LEC, where it’s held between the Winter and Spring splits).

The top teams from the Winter and Spring splits are invited to participate at MSI, which will be held at Copper Box Arena located in Queen Elizabeth Olympic Park in London.

This year’s theme is “Defy,” where teams are expected to defy expectations, doubts, and haters to “showcase regional strength midway through the season” according to an official statement by LoL Esports.

MSI 2023 schedule, standings, and results

MSI will take place from May 2 to May 21.

Matches start at 5 a.m. PST | 12 p.m. GMT | 8 p.m. GMT+8 during weekdays and an hour earlier at 4 a.m. PST | 11 a.m. GMT | 7 p.m. GMT+8 on weekend dates.

Play-In Stage schedule, standings, results

May 2

May 3

May 4

Bilibili Gaming and G2 Esports qualify for the MSI 2023 bracket stage.

May 5

GAM Esports and DetonatioN FocusMe have been eliminated.

May 6

Movistar R7 and PSG Talon have been eliminated.

May 7

Golden Guardians qualifies for the Bracket stage. PSG Talon have been eliminated.

MSI draw show

Prior to the tournament, the MSI draw show commenced after the LEC Spring finals on Sunday, April 23.

MSI playoffs

The MSI 2023 playoffs will take place from May 9 to May 14 and May 16 to May 21.

Matches start at 5 a.m. PST | 12 p.m. GMT | 8 p.m. GMT+8 during weekdays and an hour earlier at 4 a.m. PST | 11 a.m. GMT | 7 p.m. GMT+8 on weekend dates.

May 9

Gen.G advance to the upper bracket quarterfinals.
G2 Esports will compete in Round 1 of the lower bracket.

May 10

T1 advance to the upper bracket quarterfinals to face Gen.G.
MAD Lions will compete in Round 1 of the lower bracket against G2 Esports.

May 11

Bilibili Gaming advance to the upper bracket quarterfinals.
Cloud9 will compete in Round 1 of the lower bracket.

May 12

JD Gaming advance to the upper bracket quarterfinals to face Bilibili Gaming.
Golden Guardians will compete in Round 1 of the lower bracket against Cloud9.

May 13 — Upper bracket quarterfinals and Lower bracket Round 1

T1 advance to the semifinals.
Gen.G and G2 Esports will compete in Round 2 of the lower bracket.

MAD Lions have been eliminated.

May 14 — Upper bracket quarterfinals and Lower bracket Round 1

JD Gaming will face T1 in the semifinals.
Bilibili Gaming will compete in Round 2 of the lower bracket against G2 Esports.
Cloud9 will compete in Round 2 of the lower bracket against Gen.G.

Golden Guardians have been eliminated.

May 16 — Lower bracket round 2

Bilibili Gaming advance to Round 3 of the lower bracket.

G2 Esports have been eliminated.

May 17 — Lower bracket round 2

Gen.G will compete in Round 3 of the lower bracket against Bilibili Gaming.

Cloud9 have been eliminated.

May 18 — Semifinals

JD Gaming advance to the finals.
T1 will compete in the lower bracket finals.

May 19 — Lower bracket round 3

Bilibili Gaming advance to the lower bracket finals.

Gen.G have been eliminated.

May 20 — Lower bracket finals

Bilibili Gaming advance to the finals.

T1 have been eliminated.

May 21 — Finals

JD Gaming are your MSI 2023 champions.

MSI 2023 format

Unlike last year, this year’s MSI will only have two stages — play-in and bracket.

Eight teams will participate in the play-in, drawn into two double-elimination brackets. Bracket matches will be played in best-of-threes while the last chance qualifier (LCQ) match will be in best-of-fives. The top team from each group and the winner of the LCQ match will proceed to the next stage of the competition.

The bracket stage will also feature a total of eight teams comprised of the five pre-qualified participants and the three teams from the play-in. It will be in double-elimination brackets, with matches played in best-of-fives.

Here’s the new MSI format explained in detail.

MSI draw results for play-in stage

In Group A, Bilibili Gaming will face off ⁠against Movistar R7 while Golden Guardians will battle GAM Esports.

In Group B, G2 Esports is set to clash with LOUD while PSG Talon will fight DetonatioN FocuMe.

MSI patch

This year’s MSI will be played on LoL patch 13.8, where champions Yuumi and Milio have both been disabled during the tournament.

Teams competing at MSI 2023

Where to watch MSI

League of Legends esports fans can watch the MSI matches live on Riot Games’ official channels on Twitch and YouTube.

READ MORE: Exclusive: How will Milio’s ultimate affect Cleanse, Mikael’s Blessing, and QSS? Riot Games answers