Riot Games announces new Dutch and Belgian leagues for 2020

Riot Games has introduced two new leagues to the European Masters. The Benelux region is getting richer as Dutch and Belgian Leagues will be starting in the 2020 competitive season.

Riot’s head of esports for France and Benelux, Damien “Damzee” Ricci, shared on November 18 that the organization has partnered with Belgian digital marketing agency 4Entertainment to build a stronger local League of Legends scene in the Benelux region.

The Benelux Premier League, which includes Belgium, Netherlands, and Luxemburg, is splitting into the Dutch League and the Belgian League. Both leagues will still belong to the same region. As Riot continues to nurture young regional talent in Europe, Beneluxian players will have two paths that can bring them to European Masters.

“We hope that fans will enjoy our revamped approach to the region, which will feature tailor-made content for local audiences, with the Dutch League broadcast in Dutch, and the Belgian League broadcast in Flemish and French,” Damzee shared in the statement.

More prizes and opportunities for Benelux LoL players

At the start, each of the two new leagues will have spots for six teams, with plans to expand them further in the future. Leagues will offer €7,500 prize pools for both spring and summer splits, with the top four teams advancing to the European Masters qualifiers.

In addition, a National Finals event will be held at the end of the season with another €10,000 to share.

Benelux players, along with players from other European regions including Nordics, Balkans, Baltics, and more, will be fighting for their spot at the European Masters 2020. The tournament sees academy teams from across Europe compete for the €300,000 prize pool shared across the year’s splits. Competing teams include Rogue Esports Club, Misfits Premier, Fnatic Rising, and others.

The tournament presents a great opportunity for players that wish to get signed by LEC franchises to prove their skill on a competitive stage.

The start and the schedule of the regional tournaments haven’t been announced yet, but fans will be able to watch the game broadcasts on Twitch and YouTube.