In 2024, the final matches of the 2024 LEC Season Finals will be held in Munich at the end of August and beginning of September. League of Legends is one of the most popular and widely played online games worldwide, and its tournaments are among the esports events that attract the largest numbers of viewers and live spectators. Munich is expecting up to 12,000 visitors daily during the two days of the tournament, while millions more will be reached worldwide via livestreaming.
The LEC is the highest level of the League of Legends game in the EMEA region (Europe, Middle East, Africa). It is part of the professional League of Legends esports league created by Riot Games. At the end of the annual season, the top teams qualify for the World Championship.
Head of the Department of Labor and Economic Development of the City of Munich Clemens Baumgärtner lobbied for the event to be held in Munich:
“We’re proud to be hosting this top-class esports event in Munich. The professional organisation of the event will have a positive impact on Munich’s image as a high-tech location and sought-after digital region in Europe. Young, up-and-coming tech companies that are based here will also benefit from the intense international focus on Munich. The finals offer a great incentive to travel, so they will boost Munich from the point of view of tourism as well, not least because the promotional impact cannot be overestimated.”
The Bavarian government, represented by the Bavarian State Ministry for Digital Affairs, has also set itself the goal of supporting and promoting the development of esports in the state and strengthening Bavaria as a location for esports.
Bavaria's Minister of State for Digital Affairs, Judith Gerlach: “The EMEA final of League of Legends is a great event that we have brought to the state of Bavaria. This esports game has had a vibrant and dedicated community of players worldwide for years. This fits in perfectly with Bavaria as a cosmopolitan and welcoming high-tech location.”
The esports event attracts a young, international target group. Over 50 per cent of the guests come from abroad, with around 75 per cent staying in the city during the event. Over 90 per cent of spectators are under 30 years old. They are passionate about technology and science and very interested in start-ups, especially in the IT sector. By hosting the 2024 LEC Season Finals, Munich is positioning itself precisely with this important, future-oriented target group.
