Valencia Hosts 2027 Mid-Season Invitational
Riot Games has awarded Europe's first top-tier League of Legends event since the Worlds 2024 final to Valencia, Spain.
Updated on Nov. 14, 2026 in eSports
Riot Games has awarded the 2027 Mid-Season Invitational to Valencia, Spain, its first top-tier League of Legends event in Europe since the Worlds 2024 final in London. The publisher also moved First Stand: All In 2027 from Southeast Asia to China, with Southeast Asia now slated to host it in 2028.
Why it matters
The decision extends the global reach of League of Legends' competitive calendar and shifts regional hosting slots across the 2027 season. For international viewers and fans, it signals where major esports competition will be concentrated over the coming year.
Seoul's proposed 2027 Worlds budget is 1.369 billion won (about US$1.02 million), and Seoul Arena was 81% complete as of 23 October 2026. Final First Stand and Split 1 details are not expected until January 2027.
The players
Riot Games
Riot Games is the American developer and publisher of League of Legends, which runs the sport's official international competitive circuit including Worlds and the Mid-Season Invitational.
The details
Riot Games set out its 2027 international calendar on 13 November 2026, the day after the Worlds 2026 final. Worlds 2027 will open its Swiss Stage in Nagoya, Japan, move its quarter-finals and semi-finals to the Suwon Convention Center in South Korea, and conclude its title decider at Seoul Arena.
Timeline
- 2026-11-13
Riot Games sets out its 2027 international calendar.
January 2027: Full First Stand and Split 1 details are due.
May 2027: Seoul Arena construction is due to finish.
June 2027: Seoul Arena is due to open.
Season Trajectory
The Valencia award is the first top-tier League of Legends event in Europe since the Worlds 2024 final in London, returning competition to the continent after a gap. Moving First Stand to China and shifting the Southeast Asia slot to 2028 reshapes where the 2027 season's regional events take place.
Fans planning to attend 2027 events will need to track three separate host regions, Valencia, China and Seoul, along with Nagoya and Suwon for Worlds. Full First Stand and Split 1 schedules will not be available until January 2027, so ticket and travel planning should wait for those announcements.
The takeaway
Following the 2027 calendar means watching for the January 2027 release of First Stand and Split 1 details, since several hosting decisions remain provisional until then. Check Riot Games' official announcements before planning travel to any of the listed venues.
What happens next
Riot Games is expected to confirm the details of the First Stand China season opener and Split 1 in January 2027. Seoul Arena's construction is due to finish in May 2027, with its opening scheduled for June 2027.
Further reading
For more on the competitive circuit behind these hosting decisions, see eSports.
