The South Korean capital is nearing the finalization of an agreement with game developer Riot Games to host the decisive match of Worlds 2027. According to the South Korean outlet Jeonnam Ilbo, Seoul has become the preferred host city for the final, although there is no official confirmation from the parties yet.
To implement the project, the Seoul Metropolitan Government has allocated 1.369 billion South Korean won (approximately $1 million) in its 2027 budget. These funds are provided under a support program for global gaming events and will be directed toward organizing the final and related activities, including:
A similar practice of government support for esports was recently seen in Las Vegas, where the local tourism authority approved a $2 million budget to host a BLAST Tier 1 Counter-Strike 2 tournament.
Although South Korea has already been officially confirmed as the host country for the entire 2027 World Championship, the locations for the decisive stages have not yet been determined. In early 2026, the Korea e-Sports Association (KeSPA), together with Riot Games, opened a bidding process among cities to host the knockout stage (quarterfinals, semifinals, and the grand final), resulting in Seoul emerging as the leading candidate. Potential arenas under consideration include the Gocheok Sky Dome, which previously hosted the 2023 final, as well as other large venues with a capacity of at least 10,000 spectators.
The exact date for signing the agreement between Riot Games and the Seoul city government has not been disclosed. Given the practice of previous years, when host cities were announced 8 to 12 months before the start of the tournament, official confirmation is expected between late November 2026 and early January 2027.
If negotiations conclude successfully, Seoul will host Worlds matches for the fourth time. The South Korean capital last served as the arena for the final in 2023. Since then, the tournament has been held outside the country: in 2025, the competition took place in China, where the T1 team secured victory, and the 2026 championship is currently underway in the United States (across Texas and New York). Thus, the world championship final could return to Seoul after a four-year gap.
As a reminder, K/DA and True Damage to Headline the Worlds 2026 Finals Opening Ceremony
