The EU Masters tournament pits the best European Regional League sides against each other to demonstrate who is the strongest team outside of the LEC. The group stage draw has now shown these teams who they must beat in order to reach the knockout stage.
Group A will see Summer 2019 EUM winner BIG, who qualified as the Prime League’s first seed, take on Spring 2020 runners-up K1CK, who still sport the now-famous Puki Style in the bot lane. Greek champions Anorthosis Famagusta also enter the group, as do Italy’s MKers, who qualified by beating Z10 ESHARK in the Play-Ins.
Current holders AGO ROGUE enter in Group B having won the Polish Ultraliga, though their roster is entirely changed since their Summer 2020 EUM win as much of their side was picked up by LEC organisations during the offseason. Joining them is 2019 Spring champions Misfits Premier, who themselves field a largely Polish lineup, as well as Balkan winners SAIM SE SuppUp and Spanish third seed G2 Arctic.
SuperLiga winners UCAM lead a strong Group C against Germany’s mousesports, Italy’s Macko Esports, and Poland’s Illuminar Gaming. The Prime League representative mouz, spearheaded by mid laner LIDER, will undoubtedly be looking to stamp their authority on the tournament having frequently entered EUM among the favorites only to so far fail to make it past the semifinals.
France’s La Ligue Française skyrocketed in popularity this split, even rivaling the viewership figures of North America’s LCS on occasion, so it’s no surprise that the league’s champion Karmine Corp comes into EU Masters as one of the favourites to win the whole thing. They’re joined in one of the toughest groups by Spain’s Cream Real Betis as well as the NLC’s sole representative, BT Excel. To top things off, Germany’s Schalke 04 Evolution also enter Group D for their third European Masters appearance, making this the unquestioned group of death at the EU Masters competition.
The main event kicks off on Wednesday April 14, with the grand final set to crown a winner on Sunday May 2.
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