Summary

  • Use play icon to watch live coverage

  • London Esports defeat Barrage Esports Academy

  • Resolve defeat MnM Gaming Academy

  • NVision Esports defeat Enclave Gaming

  • Bulldog Esports defeat Demise

  • All times are GMT and subject to change

  1. Excel Esports: Life inside a professional esports teampublished at 03:53 Greenwich Mean Time 17 January 2021

    BBC iPlayer

    They are a team of international stars who live together and train at a state-of-the-art facility at Twickenham Stadium.

    Their backroom staff includes sport psychologists, nutritionists and people who have worked in football.

    But these are not your traditional sports stars. They do not compete with a round or even oval ball. Their arena is international esports tournaments - playing League of Legends.

    And they have to deal with the pressure of being professional players, while navigating the same coming-of-age challenges as other young men.

    In a new five-part series, narrated by Peaky Blinders star Cillian Murphy, we follow upstart British team Excel Esports as they tough it out for a play-off place in the League of Legends European Championship (LEC).

    Watch Fight For First: Excel Esports on BBC iPlayer

    Media caption,

    Fight First Clip

  2. League of Legends explained by the expertspublished at 03:53 Greenwich Mean Time 17 January 2021

    League of Legends experts Dan 'Aux' Harrison, Georgia 'Troubleinc' Paraskevopoulou and Jake 'Hiprain' Matthews explain the world's most popular esport in its most simple terms.

    Media caption,

    League of Legends: Aux, Hiprain & Troubleinc simply explain game

  3. All you need to know about the League of Legends UK Championshipspublished at 03:53 Greenwich Mean Time 17 January 2021

    League of LegendsImage source, Riot Games

    What is it?

    The event is the pinnacle of the UK League of Legends competitions and showcases and nurtures the top UK teams and esports talent. There is a prize pool of £5,000. The top two teams will progress into further competitions and may ultimately compete in the Northern League of Legends Championships for Nordic countries and the UK.

    How does it work?

    The competition starts with a seven-week round robin league, taking place every Sunday and Monday from Sunday 17 January until Monday 22 February.

    There will be four fixtures each game night with the eight teams involved facing each other twice over the seven weeks. The top four teams will then progress to the semi-finals on Sunday 28 February before the final on Monday 1 March.

    Who is competing?

    Demise, Enclave Gaming, Barrage Esports Academy, MnM Gaming Academy, NVision Esports and London Esports with one place left to be decided.

  4. Shanghai set to become esports epicentrepublished at 03:52 Greenwich Mean Time 17 January 2021

    Team DamwonImage source, AFP
    Image caption,

    South Korean team Damwon won the World Championships last year in Shanghai

    China has started work on a £660 million esports facility, scheduled for completion in 2023, which is intended to make Shanghai the global capital of the professional gaming industry.

    Public officials in the city say the 500,000-square-metre Shanghai International New Cultural Centre is intended to be a “pilgrimage site” for enthusiasts from all over the world, with a 6,000-seat esports venue as the centrepiece of the complex, which will also feature a themed hotel and a museum of gaming.

    Shanghai stated its intention to become the world capital of Esports in 2018 and hosted last year’s League of Legends world championships. China, a nation of more than 700 million gamers, is scheduled to host the event again this year, after 6,000 spectators attended last year’s event, won by South Korea’s Damwon Gaming.

  5. How can I watch the League of Legends UK Championships?published at 16:16 Greenwich Mean Time 15 January 2021

    All times are GMT and subject to change

    BBC Sport

    BBC Sport will have live coverage from all 16 days of the League of Legends UK Championships.

    Coverage will be available live on BBC iPlayer and the BBC Sport website and app and available to catch up for 30 days.

    Full coverage details:

    League Stage, Day One - Sunday, 17 January, 17:30-22:00

    League Stage, Day Two - Monday, 18 January, 17:30-22:00

    The league stage action will then take place every Sunday and Monday for another seven weeks.

    The BBC will also be streaming live coverage of the Rocket League Championship Season X on Saturday and Sunday 16-17 January, and the CS:GO Premier Fall Finals from 19 January. All of the action is live on BBC iPlayer.