Esports leagues around the world have been significantly impacted by the continued spread of the new corona virus. Many have been suspended for a short time because organizers have changed matches from personal LAN events to online formats to help prevent the spread of the virus. Now some leagues are starting to return, including the Overwatch League and the League of Legends Championship Series (LCS), but in a new online format. Weekends will again be packed with great esports leagues to watch.
We’ve collected a few that you can follow this weekend while you’re stuck due to social distance.
Image: ESL archives on Youtube
ESL Pro League: Friday, March 20 at 9:25 am ET
The ESL Pro League, where teams compete Counter-Strike: Global Offensive, has a game today at 09:25 ET, and there are matches almost every day until early April. All Season 11 regular season games of the league are played online instead of in front of a live audience, ESL Pro League announced on March 11. Teams have been split into four regional divisions to help players avoid travel and reduce latency in matches. You can see the competition full schedule here and catch matches in the league Twitch channel.
Image: Flashpoint on YouTube
Flash point: Friday, March 20 at 1 p.m. ET
Flashpoint, a new one Counter-Strike: Global Offensive league that debuted in February has its first game of the weekend today at 1:00 PM ET, according to a tweet from Flashpoint. The league said it would move from LAN games in Los Angeles to an online competition on March 16. Flashpoint differs from other leagues in that it is owned and operated by the teams playing in it – and some of those teams are big names in esports, including Cloud9, Gen.G, and Dignitas. You can watch matches on Flashpoint’s Twitch channel.
Photo: Colin Young-Wolff / Riot Games
League of Legends Championship Series: Saturday, March 21 at 5:00 PM ET
The LCS is back from Saturday, March 21 at 5:00 p.m. ET. Matches will be played online for the remainder of the spring split, which ends on Sunday, March 29, and the spring split final, which ends on Sunday, April 19. However, for the rest of the split, there are no Monday Night League games, but that means LCS has five games every day instead of the usual four. Saturday’s game is the first since a weekend hiatus to protect players and staff from the spread of the new corona virus. LCS’s the full schedule is here, and you can see games when they take place on the LCS Twitch channel.
Image: Riot Games
League of Legends European Championship: Friday, March 20 at 1 p.m. ET
The League of Legends European Championship teams will also play the rest of the spring split completely online, with matches starting today at 1:00 PM ET. Matches are now played every weekend until the final, which takes place on April 18 and 19. You can see the LECs full schedule here and watch games on the LEC’s Twitch channel.
Update March 20, 8:10 am ET: Part of the Overwatch League, who has since postponed his online matches.