The second-most important League of Legends competition in Europe, the EU Masters will kick off with its 2022 Summer edition. We will first see the Play-In phase being played, determining the last few teams attending the main event. There, sixteen teams will compete to become the best team in Europe below LEC.
For the last three seasons, EU Masters was won by the French team Karmine Corp. This season, Rekkles’ KC failed to make it to EUM, and we will witness a new champion. We have gathered everything you need to know about the competition, and you will be ready to tune in to EU Masters after reading this article.
European Masters history
Before 2018 when LEC was established, instead of European Masters, Challenger Series was played. Winners of the EU CS would play against the teams that were relegated from EU LCS to be promoted. In 2018, the franchise system was adopted and EU CS was left behind.
Instead of EU CS, a continent-wide regional league system was established. From France to Poland, most regions had their own league and their champions would represent the region in the ultimate tournament: European Masters. In a way, it's very similar to the UEFA Champions League. EU Masters introduced many players that went on to play in the LEC, the new top-flight competition in Europe.
Since 2018, 9 editions of EU Masters have been played. Check out the list of champions and how they attended EU Masters:
- 2018 Spring - Origen (2017 CS)
- 2018 Summer - MAD Lions (LVP - Spain)
- 2019 Spring - Misfits Premier (LFL - France)
- 2019 Summer - BIG (Premier Tour - Germany)
- 2020 Spring - LDLC OL (LFL - France)
- 2020 Summer - AGO Rogue (Ultraliga - Poland)
- 2021 Spring - Karmine Corp (LFL - France)
- 2021 Summer - Karmine Corp (LFL - France)
- 2022 Spring - Karmine Corp (LFL - France)
As you can see, French teams have been exceptionally successful at EU Masters tournaments. EU Masters was won by a French team five different times, and the only team to win a EUM title more than once is the French Karmine Corp. In terms of regional rivalries, you could argue that European regions are very close. After KCorp’s domination, France obtained the title of “the most successful European region” undoubtedly.
EU Masters is also a place for the academy teams of LEC teams to show themselves and get a contract in LEC. Teams like Fnatic TQ, Misfits Premier and AGO ROGUE have shown incredible performances in the history of EU Masters, and found teams in the LEC.
European Masters format
After all regional leagues end, all the leagues send their champions to European Masters. Successful leagues like LFL and Prime League send more than just their champion. First, a play-in phase is played with 16 teams split into four groups. While major leagues like LFL and Ultraliga send their #3 and #4 teams to play-in, Greece, Portugal, Benelux and more send their champions.
After the group stage, two teams qualify for the knockout stage where the first place of one group faces the runner-up of another group. A best of three is played between these teams and the winners move on to the EU Masters main event.
EU Masters main event follows a similar format. 16 teams are split into four double round-robin groups. Two teams from each group advance to the knockout stage where the best of five games are played in a single elimination bracket. The winner of the bracket is the champion of the European Masters.
French champion and second place, DACH (Deutschland, Austria and Switzerland) champion and second place, NLC (Northern Europe) champion and second place, Spanish champion and second place, Polish champion and second place, Balkan champion and Italian champion are qualified for the main event directly. The rest of the teams have to go through the play-in phase.
Similar to other international tournaments, teams are split into four pools before being placed in a group according to the strength of their leagues. For example, LFL, Prime League, NLC and LVP champions start in the first pool, avoiding the other champions. However, Ultraliga champion starts in pool two because of Poland’s disappointing performances in recent EUM tournaments and they have to play against one of the strongest teams in the group stage.
European Masters Play-In groups
You might wonder which teams are participating in EU Masters 2022 Summer Play-In. Let’s take a look at the groups:
Group A: Northern Europe #3 JD|XL, Balkan runner-up Crvena zvedza, Greek champion Anorthosis Famagusta and Benelux runner-up KRC Genk.
Group B: French #3 Vitality.Bee, Polish #3 Illuminar Gaming, Portuguese champion For The Win and Czechoslovakian runner-up Entropiq.
Group C: Spanish #3 BISONS ECLUB, French #4 GameWard, Benelux champion The Agency and Portuguese runner-up White Dragons.
Group D: DACH #3 SK Gaming Prime, Italian #2 aNc Outplayed, Czechoslovakian champion eSuba and Greek runner-up Team Phantasma.
While champions from leagues like Portugal or Greece compete in this phase, considering the past EUM Play-Ins, the chances of them making it to the main event is very low. Third and fourth places from leagues like France, Spain and Poland mostly dominate the preliminary rounds and make it to the main event.
EU Masters Play-In will start on August 24 and end on August 27. 56 games will be played in the first two days, and the knockout stage will be played on August 27. You will be able to find the matches on Luckbox and watch them live. to claim your 100% bonus before placing your bets.
European Masters main event teams
As mentioned above, some teams are qualified for the main event directly. Let’s take a look at the pools:
Pool 1: French champion LDLC OL, DACH champion Unicorns of Love, Northern European champion Dusty and Spanish champion Team Heretics.
Pool 2: Polish champion Zero Tenacity, French runner-up Team BDS Academy, DACH runner-up Schalke 04 and Northern European runner-up X7 Esports.
Pool 3: Spanish runner-up Giants, Polish runner-up AGO ROGUE, Balkan champion Valiance and Italian champion Macko Esports.
Pool 4: Four teams that are qualified through the play-in phase of European Masters.
Pool 1 includes the strongest champions, and the favourites of European Masters 2022 Summer. You can add to that list Zero Tenacity from the second pool. As Karmine Corp won’t be participating since their elimination at LFL, we have a high chance of seeing a brand new champion. The only champions that are attending this season’s tournament are LDLC OL and AGO ROGUE.
However, as the French champion and last season’s runner-up, LDLC OL can repeat their success in 2020 Spring. There won’t be a Karmine Corp with Rekkles to stop their incredible form this time. LDLC OL is the prime candidate for the championship and becoming the second team in the history of EUM to win a second title.
Are EU Masters played on LAN?
Obviously, when you see a tournament like EU Masters, the first question is if the tournament will be played online ever since the pandemic happened. Right now, we know for sure that the EU Masters 2022 Summer Play-In will be played online. However, we don’t know if that applies to the main event.
While it is not certain, we saw EU Masters 2022 Spring being played out online entirely, including the grand final. Thus, you should expect for it to be online again until an official announcement is made by Riot Games themselves. However, you will be able to tune in to this amazing competition from home.
Where can you watch EU Masters?
There are a number of places you can find live streams of EU Masters with 12 different languages available. Check out the list below:
English - Main Event
LoL Esports
Twitch
YouTube
English - Play-ins (EUniverse)
Twitch (1)
Twitch (2)
YouTube
German - Summoner's Inn (Freaks4U Gaming)
Twitch
YouTube
French - One Trick Production (OTP)
Twitch
YouTube
Spanish - LVPes (Fandroid)
Twitch
YouTube
Polish - Frenzy/Polsat
Twitch
YouTube
Italian - PG Esports
Twitch
YouTube
Portuguese - Inygon
Twitch
YouTube
Hungarian - Esport1
Twitch
YouTube
Greek - PVP Media
Twitch
YouTube
Serbian - Fortuna
Twitch
YouTube
Dutch - META
Twitch
Twitch
YouTube
Make sure to follow EU Masters’ Twitter account and official website to keep track of the latest news.
EU Masters on-air talent
Riot Games also announced the on-air talent that you will see during the European Masters 2022 Summer streams. You might know some of their names if you are interested in LoL esports.
William Wittingham - Viperoon
Georgia Paras - Troubleinc
Colin Wijnholds - Orchid
Ainhoa Campos - Noa
Joseph Fenny - Munchables
Adrian Thorne - Jamada
Sam Hapgood - Initialise
Jake Matthews - Hiprain
Alexandre Maia - Archarom
Diede Baeyens - Dino
Andreas Gents - Duckling
Daniel Harrison - Aux
Robert Price - Dagda
Oisín Molloy - Oisin
Mikkel Guldborg - Guldborg
Alex Hapgood - Nymaera
EU Masters prize pool
Since its introduction, European Masters prize pool has been the same. €150,000 is shared between the main event teams, with the champion taking €40,000. The lowest-placed teams take at least €2,500 home after participating in the EU Masters. However, as far as announced, play-in teams don’t get a share if they can’t make it to the main event.
EU Masters schedule
EU Masters Play-In will start on August 24. On August 24 and 25, the group stage matches will be played, and on August 27, the knockout stage will be played to determine which teams move on to EU Masters 2022 Summer Main Event.
While there isn’t a clear schedule right now, the group stage of the main event will kick off on August 29. Until September 25, the fight will continue, and the best-of-five grand final will be played on the same day. So don’t forget to mark your calendars.
On Luckbox, you will be able to find the live streams and betting odds for the matches. So you can both tune in to the games and find the breaking news here. Make sure to to claim your 100% bonus before placing your bets.
