LCK Spring Split may be delayed alongside LPL due to coronavirus

William Davis Published 30/01/2020

The LPL has been postponed indefinitely due to the coronavirus outbreak in China.

The coronavirus is a highly infectious and potentially deadly virus that affects the respiratory system. The epidemic started in the Wuhan region and has spread throughout China. There are confirmed cases of the coronavirus in countries including Japan, South Korea, Canada, and the United States.

The situation in China is worsening every day. The World Health Organization has declared that the risk is high, not only in China but globally. That has Chinese authorities on alert and looking to head off the virus spreading, a fact that has hurt esports badly across Asia.

Coronavirus puts LoL competitive scene in China, Korea at risk

The LPL was forced to make a difficult decision in the face of the current epidemic. The league has decided to delay the 2020 LPL Spring Split indefinitely and it’s currently unclear as to whether it will return.

Should this delay linger, China won’t have a representative at the 2020 Mid-Season Invitational. It will be the first time a major region misses an international event.

The epidemic isn’t just hitting the LPL, though.

According Inven Global, the 2020 LCK Spring Split is set to start in an empty arena due to concerns over the coronavirus. If there is a significant outbreak in Korea, Riot Korea told Inven Global it is prepared to take any measures necessary to keep players and fans safe.

Another event at risk is the 2020 League of Legends World Championship, which is set to be hosted in China later this year.

Though Worlds is still months away, China’s SARS epidemic lingered for nine months from 2002 to 2003. While the current outbreak of coronavirus isn’t expected to last as long or be as serious as SARS, which claimed 774 lives globally, it wouldn’t need to endure for that long to ruin the 2020 LPL Summer Split or disrupt Riot’s planning of Worlds 2020.

Riot Games is yet to confirm any decision but it’s possible that the developer is already making backup plans.

Read Also

Esports Betting

LCS Playoffs Round 1 Best Bets: Will C9 Falter? Ben Boland The LCS Summer regular season has finally come to a close and six teams will now do battle over the next few weeks with the hope of representing their region at the 2026 League of Legends World Championship. The first round of playoffs is expected to set the tone for what is to be an exciting conclusion to the return of the LCS. Cloud9 and Shopify do battle once again, ...

Esports Betting

The Best LCS Summer Split Week 7 Odds: Upsets On The Horizon? Ben Boland The LoL betting world is in for a treat this weekend as the LCS Summer Split regular season enters its final week. Everything is to play for, from the battle for first place to who starts life in the upper bracket. Esports betting sites are unsurprisingly covering the games extensively, and here my tips to bet on for each LCS match this weekend. This is a series that could go ...

League of Legends

LEC Playoffs Round 1 Betting Tips: G2 vs Vitality & Karmine Corp vs GIANTX Ben Boland The 2026 LEC Summer Playoffs are finally here in the world of LoL betting. After weeks of regular-season action, the battle to get to Worlds 2026 is heating up. Team Vitality, G2 Esports, GiantX, and Karmine Corp start their playoff run in the upper bracket. Both sets of matches have a lot of betting potential, with some decent value to be found. Here are some of the best bets to ...

League of Legends

Caps Hall of Legends skins prices and dates revealed Hannan Mundia Caps is the latest League of Legends player to be inducted into the Hall of Legends, and the LEC player’s dedicated skins have been revealed, including their prices and release dates. The Hall of Legends is Riot Games’ way to honor a handful of the most well-known and celebrated professional players associated with LoL. The first inductee was naturally Faker, while the second was Uzi. The third player is Caps, ...

League of Legends

Five Support Champions To Pick Up in LoL Patch 26.17 Ben Boland The support meta in League of Legends is one of the most highly discussed roles in the game right now. With Riot doubling down on the roaming support playstyle, we will likely see more champions added to the pool around the time of Worlds 2026, which begins on 15 October. At the time of writing this article, the current patch, 26.17, is being tested on the PBE, with the launch ...

League of Legends

These Are Five Top Lane Champions To Pick Up in League of Legends Patch 26.17 Ben Boland League of Legends patch 26.17 is just around the corner, and with that patch comes more changes to the role. The days of ADCs in the lane are starting to be a thing of the past, with more bruisers hitting the gym before the launch of 26.17. Many top laners are receiving buffs on the new patch, while powerhouses such as Nasus and Vayne are on the chopping block, making ...

League of Legends

Here Is What To Expect From the League of Legends Patch 26.17 Ben Boland It’s less than a week until the release of League of Legends Patch 26.17, and with this patch comes some significant nerfs to popular champions, item adjustments, and targeting roaming supports as mage bottom lanes dominate the meta. While there is plenty to unpack in this week's patch from Riot Games, two champions, Vayne and Xerath, have received the biggest nerfs across the board. Here are some of the biggest ...