Riot Games revealed the ranking of the main League of Legends teams for 2024. Surprising many, in the lead is the Chinese team Bilibili Gaming (BLG), which was runner-up in the world cup for T1. The announcement caused mixed reactions among fans and experts, especially given the fact that T1 had won Worlds 2024, the most prestigious competitive tournament.
However, Riot's scoring system values teams' annual performance across a wide variety of competitions. The evaluation model used by Riot is based on regular performance throughout the year, which explains how BLG managed to stay ahead of T1.
Although the Korean team triumphed at Worlds, its fluctuations in other competitions caused it to lose valuable points, while BLG maintained a solid trajectory and accumulated enough points to occupy first place.
Riot Games' criteria in the League of Legends ranking
To better understand the ranking, it is important to consider how Riot Games defines the concept of “best team”. The system is not only based on specific victories, but also on aspects such as regularity, performance in regional championships, and the performance of the opponents faced. In this way, a team that presents consistency and faces strong opponents throughout the year can, indeed, reach a higher position than a team that has a single major triumph.
BLG's trajectory throughout 2024 serves as an example of this logic. The team was champion of the first and second regional splits and reached the final of both the MSI and the Worlds, thus gaining a significant number of points. On the other hand, T1 had difficulty maintaining the same level of performance in the regional championships and in the MSI, where it finished in third place, and in one of the splits, in which it was in fourth place. These results impacted its overall score, leaving it just behind BLG in the final ranking.
The importance of the “Opponent Strength” criterion
Another important aspect of Riot Games' ranking system is the criterion called “Opponent Strength”. He places value on matches against high-level opponents and a team's progress in challenging competitions. T1, even with the victory at Worlds, performed below expectations in some key matches. The team faced difficulties that reduced its score throughout the year.
On the other hand, BLG has maintained a record of consistency, facing and beating high-caliber opponents. His career included finals in international and regional competitions, which accumulated points and strengthened his position in the rankings. In this way, even after losing to T1 in the Worlds final, BLG consolidated its leadership, standing out for its constant performance.
The end of Worlds 2024 also brought significant changes to other teams in Riot Games' global rankings. GAM, representative of the VCS region, recorded the biggest increase, rising from 37th to 28th position. FlyQuest, from the North American League (LCS), jumped from 16th to 10th position, highlighting the potential of the North American team. T1, with its victory of the world title, advanced from 6th to 2nd position. Thus, establishing itself as one of the biggest forces in the competitive scene, even though it still lagged behind BLG.
paiN Gaming in the top 50
At a national level, paiN Gaming represents Brazil among the 50 best global teams, thus ending the year as the highest ranked team in the country. The Brazilian team achieved a prominent position, solidifying the national scenario and bringing hope to local fans. This achievement highlights the evolution of Brazilian League of Legends, which, in recent years, has proven competitive in international tournaments, increasing the popularity and quality of eSports competitions in the country.
Check out Riot Games' top 10
- Bilibili Gaming Dreamsmart (LPL) — 1,641 pts
- T1 (LCK) — 1,619 pts
- Gen.G (LCK) — 1,607 pts
- Hanwha Life Esports (LCK) — 1,564 pts
- TOP Esports (LPL) — 1,509 pts
- G2 Esports (LEC) — 1,472 pts
- Beijing JDG Intel Esports (LPL) — 1,440 pts
- Weibo Gaming TapTap (LPL) — 1,436 pts
- Dplus Kia (LCK) — 1,427 pts
- FlyQuest (LCS) — 1,420 pts
