League of Legends developer Riot Games has announced that this yearâs LOL World Championship will change its semi-finals host city from Toronto (Canada) to Atlanta (United States).
Riot said the relocation is due to COVID-19 impacting the viability of securing multi-entry visas to the United States. Visa access for players is a problem that has plagued esports for years.
As a result, the semi-finals will take place at the State Farm Arena in Atlanta, the home of the NBA team Atlanta Hawks.
The 2022 World Championship is set to take place later this year in North America across four host cities â Mexico City, Atlanta, New York, and San Francisco.
With these changes, Riot Games has claimed the move will provide teams with a âclear pathâ to complete at all stages of the event.
