Worlds 2021 breaks viewership records, second most-watched esports event ever

There is no doubt Worlds 2021 was a total success, after all the excitement, memories, and ultimately, the crowning of Edward Gaming as the best team in the world, showcasing League of Legends as one of the world's premier esports.

Now, as part of the same announcement regarding Worlds 2022 being held in North America, Riot Games and LoL Esports took the opportunity to reveal the viewership numbers for this year’s Worlds Finals, bringing in an impressive 73.8 million peak concurrent viewers (including Chinese platforms), marking a 60.33% increase over Worlds 2020 numbers according to Stream Hatchet.

This also came with a 32.82% increase in average minute audience, meaning at least 30.6 million people watched the final showdown between the LPL and LCK's titans in its entirety.

Thanks to all this, the 2021 League of Legends World Championship now sits as the second most-watched esports event in history, only being behind the Free Fire World Series 2021 Singapore from last May.

The success of Worlds 2021 goes beyond viewership, with the Worlds Finals broadcast in 18 languages, by 19 separate broadcasters, across 34 platforms, producing over 134 hours of air time.

“We're super proud of that and just humbled by the support we have from our fans. We've had to pivot many times this year with many of our events because of COVID, and they've really hung with us," said John Needham, President of Riot Esports during the press conference at Chase Center.

"Thank you to the global esports crew and all the regional esports crews at League, for just producing amazing shows.”

The road to Worlds 2022 is about to get started, as a whole new experience awaits for both players and fans, who will have the chance to enjoy the best League of Legends esports in Mexico, the United States, and Canada next fall.

• Read more: Worlds 2022 matches to be played in Mexico, Canada, and US

For more Worlds and League of Legends Coverage, head on over to our dedicated LoL section!

Featured image courtesy of Riot Games.