Worlds 2021 knockout group draw sees C9 vs Gen.G, DK vs MAD

Steven Rondina Published 18/10/2021

The Worlds 2021 group stage is over, and now the knockout stage is about to begin.

After a four-way tiebreaker decided the two teams to advance out of group D, the Worlds 2021 knockout stage draw began. This decided the four matchups for that will kick off the knockout stage, and seeded the bracket for the remainder of the tournament.

The four matches include two intraregional tilts and a few matches that will be very difficult to call. Here are the Worlds 2021 knockout stage matches:

• Royal Never Give Up vs. EDward Gaming
• Gen.G vs. Cloud9
• T1 vs. Hanwha Life Esports
• Damwon Kia vs. MAD Lions

Royal Never Give Up vs. EDward Gaming

EDward Gaming entered Worlds 2021 as the favorite to win after taking first place in the LPL Summer Split. The Chinese squad still looked strong in the group stage, but wound up finishing as the second seed behind T1 after a rocky second week of games.

The team will kick off the knockout stage against LPL rivals Royal Never Give Up.

RNG has had a strange 2021, winning the Mid-Season Invitational and then bombing out of the LPL Summer Playoffs. The team took first in the regional finals to qualify for Worlds 2021 and stands as a dark horse for the event. If the team wants to take two international titles in a row, Royal Never Give Up will need to pick off another Chinese team early on.

Gen.G vs. Cloud9

Cloud9 was the biggest shock of the Worlds 2021 group stage. The LCS’ third seed underwhelmed in the play-in stage and struggled to an 0-3 start after being grouped with DAMWON Kia and FunPlus Phoenix, two of the favorites to win the championship. Instead, Cloud9 came out on top of a three-way tiebreaker for the second seed and sent both FunPlus Phoenix and the LEC’s Rogue home.

After surviving the group of death, Cloud9 got what is being viewed as a favorable draw in the form of Gen.G. The LCK’s second seed was inconsistent in the group stage, narrowly coming out on top of the four-way tiebreaker after compiling a 3-3 record.

Gen.G’s shaky group stage may open the door for Cloud9. But while C9 recovered nicely and performed well in its tiebraker, it still went 2-4 in its initial run through its group. That makes this one of the toughest matches to call in the Worlds 2021 playoffs.

T1 vs. Hanwha Life Esports

There’s an LCK vs. LCK match in the other half of the bracket with T1 versus Hanwha Life Esports.

T1 looked strong in the group stage and went 5-1 in group B, which included going 1-1 against tournament favorite EDward Gaming. It’s impossible to ignore all the existing history behind T1 and Lee “Faker” Sang-hyeok at Worlds, given that he’s a three-time champion. But it has been a long time since either T1 or Faker have seen success at the World Championship.

Hanwha Life Esports will be looking to trump that history and get revenge on T1 for some of its own losses earlier this year. T1 has generally gotten the better of HLE, including T1 forcing HLE into a Worlds 2021 play-ins start with a 3-2 victory in the LCK Regional Finals.

DAMWON Kia vs. MAD Lions

Alongside Gen.G, MAD Lions advanced out of the four-way tiebreaker of group D. Unlike Gen.G, the team didn’t get a favorable draw for its Worlds knockout stage match.

DAMWON Kia is the only tournament favorite to really live up to its billing in the group stage, advancing forward with a perfect 6-0 record. The team is also proven under the Worlds spotlight, given that most of DAMWON Gaming’s 2020 championship roster returned for the 2021 season.

MAD Lions has a tough road ahead and will be fighting to keep the LEC’s place as one of the elite leagues in League of Legends esports. With Fnatic flopping in the group stage and Rogue being sent home by Cloud9, this ends up being a high-stakes matchup for the European region following a disappointing group stage performance.

Steven Rondina

About Steven Rondina

Steven Rondina is a true lifelong gamer. His earliest memories are of playing video games, and he has continued playing them throughout his life with no plans to stop any time soon. Steven’s favorite franchises in gaming include Pokemon, Dark Souls, and Counter-Strike. He has previously published with Bleacher Report and other gaming outlets.

View full profile

Read Also

League of Legends

LoL: Europe Shines Against Korea in 2026 As NA Struggles To Keep Pace Ben Boland In 2026, Europe has had its best results against the East in LoL Esports history. While their losses to North America may overshadow their achievements, EU has a winning record against South Korea this year. Meanwhile, NA has the LEC’s number but has its worst head-to-head against the East since 2023 — here I will break down the key statistics that show this. After years of Europe being a shell ...

League of Legends

Which League of Legends Region Will Win 2026 Worlds? Hannan Mundia The League of Legends World Championship is easily the game’s most important annual tournament. The top teams from every major region compete for a chance to win the substantial cash prize and etch their names in League of Legends history. This year will be no different, with the 2026 Worlds coming  beginning on October 15. Teams from multiple regions have already qualified for the tournament, though their performances throughout the ...

Esports Betting

Cloud9 vs LYON LCS Summer Playoffs Upper Bracket: Best Bets and Predictions Ben Boland It’s a great time to be a League of Legends esports bettor with the LCS Summer playoffs heating up. We have Cloud9 looking to slay their playoff demons against LYON, a side that is looking to win their third straight championship. With LYON picking Cloud9 as their opponent, perhaps they are extremely confident they will get the job done, or are they underestimating the boys in blue? Stay tuned as ...

League of Legends

Team Liquid vs FlyQuest: Predictions & Best Bets for the LCS Summer Playoffs Ben Boland With the LCS Summer Playoffs heating up, Team Liquid is looking to make history with a surprise win over FlyQuest this weekend. It would mean TL would be competing at Worlds 2026 on home soil for the first time in the organisation's history. For FlyQuest, this is a chance to progress ahead of schedule with their young squad, getting some valuable reps on the biggest stage esports has to offer. ...

Esports Betting

Gen.G vs HLE: Best betting odds and picks for LCK 2026 grand final Hannan Mundia The 2026 LCK grand final will see HLE challenge Gen.G to determine which team walks away with the first-place prize, giving the winning team a much-needed confidence boost before the World Championship. After every top professional Korean League of Legends team has poured sweat and time, this year’s LCK split is finally about to conclude. The grand final match will be between the powerhouse team Gen.G and the challenging Hanwha ...

Esports Betting

Here Are My Predictions For The Hanwha Life Esports vs T1 LCK Lower Final Ben Boland LCK fans are in for a treat as Hanwha Life Esports and T1 both battle for a ticket to the grand final, where Gen.G awaits. The last time these two met, they tore the house down. I expect more of the same this time in the lower final. Here are the best bets to make on HLE vs T1 in the LCK 2026 Summer Playoffs Lower Final at GG.BET, one ...

League of Legends

Riot Games eyes Polymarket and Kalshi for esports sponsorships Michael Hassall Riot Games, the creator of League of Legends and VALORANT is reportedly exploring the protentional of sponsorship deals with prediction market operators including Polymarket and Kalshi, as per reports emerging late last night (Sep. 10). First reported by Cecilia D’Anastasio of Bloomberg, Riot has started conversations with the two top prediction market operators, Kalshi and Polymarket, with a view to one or both of them becoming sponsors within Riot Games’ ...