Worlds 2022 Play-In: Chiefs show grit despite 0-5 finish in Mexico

Worlds 2022 Play-In streams, schedule, rosters and more.

After an arduous journey to the top of the LCO, The Chiefs gear up for the biggest test of their careers: Worlds 2022. Challengers from across the globs converge on Mexico City in the hopes of qualifying to the group stage and continuing their climb to the top. Can The Chiefs crack the top 16?


  • LOUD ends Chiefs’ hopes for international win
  • 0-13: OCE as region goes winless in 2022
  • Back to the drawing board as off-season begins early

It wasn’t to be for The Chiefs at the Worlds 2022 Play-In.

From a disrupted opening day through to Monday’s match for pride, The Chiefs never backed down.

But alas, they weren’t The Chiefs that left Australia as undisputed LCO champions, with the squad struggling to find the form that saw them post an incredible 27-1 Split 2.

“That’s Worlds over for us. I’m so grateful to have had the opportunity to play with this team and under this organisation,” said Ryan “Aladoric” Richardson following Chiefs’ final loss to LOUD.

“We had our ups, downs and daily arguments but at the end of the day we did our best here and had an amazing split in OCE.”

Pundits were optimistic the Aussies could rise to the occasion after such dominance at home, but outside of rare 10-15 minute stints in games, The Chiefs just weren’t competitive in their matchups.

Their journey met a roadblock on day one, with two players testing positive for COVID–meaning they would not join their teammates on stage together–ahead of their opener against Fnatic.

Fnatic themselves had COVID troubles of their own, with Ruben “Rhuckz” Barbosa substituting for starting support Zdravets “Hylissang” Galabov.

The Chiefs went hard at Fnatic for the opening stint but while the gold advantage was narrow, Fnatic’s laning stage was that much stronger, and a couple of lost teamfights began the snowball against the OCE champions.

Chiefs struggled through their following matches, losing in quick fashion to DetonatioN and EG–meaning they’d need a win over Taiwanese squad Beyond Gaming to remain in the hunt for a groups spot.

But Beyond were far too strong in the best-of-one, ending The Chiefs’ run on day three.

Playing for pride on Monday against LOUD, who themselves needed a win to secure a spot in stage two of Play-Ins, The Chiefs bravely held on after a horrid opening stint to stay in the game, aceing LOUD.

But a lost teamfight shortly after in the mid-lane and a LOUD ace of their own consigned The Chiefs to a 0-5 record, joining Group B’s Istanbul Wildcats as the only teams winless at the Play-In.

Internationally, it’s a year to forget for OCE League of Legends. LCO Split 1 winners Order also failed to record a win at the Mid-Season Invitational, meaning the Oceanic region has gone winless across the entirety of 2022.

It’s a long flight home for The Chiefs, with an even longer off-season of reflection ahead of the Split 2 champs ahead of the return of the LCO in 2023.

Worlds 2022 Play-In Schedule & Results

The Worlds Play-In consisted of two groups of six, with teams playing each opponent once. Each match was a best-of-one. The group winners both proceeded to the Worlds Main Event.

Second, third and fourth place finishers made it to stage two of the Play-In. Fourth will play third in a best-of-five, with the winner progressing.

The winner then played the second place finisher from the opposite group–the winner of that best-of-five snatched the final spot in the group stages.

All match times will be listed in AEST.

Worlds 2022 Play-In Groups

Group AGroup B
Beyond GamingDRX
Chiefs Esports ClubIstanbul Wildcats
DetonatioN FocusMeIsurus
Evil GeniusesMAD Lions
FnaticRoyal Never Give Up
LOUDSaigon Buffalo

Worlds 2022 Play-In Schedule

Play-In Day 1 — Friday, October 1

MatchTeamsTime (AEST)
Group BIsurus 0-1 MAD Lions6am
Group A Fnatic 1-0 EG7am
Group ALOUD 0-1 Beyond Gaming8am
Group BMAD Lions 1-0 Istanbul Wildcats9am
Group AChiefs 0-1 Fnatic10am
Group ADetonatioN 0-1 LOUD11am
Group BSaigon Buffalo 1-0 Istanbul Wildcats12pm
Group BDRX v RNG1pm

Play-In Day 2 — Saturday, October 2

MatchTeamsTime (AEST)
Group AFnatic 1-0 DetonatioN6am
Group AEG 0-1 LOUD7am
Group BSaigon Buffalo 1-0 Isurus8am
Group ADetonatioN 1-0 Chiefs9am
Group AEG 1-0 Beyond Gaming10am
Group BDRX 1-0 Saigon Buffalo11am
Group BMAD Lions 0-1 RNG12pm
Group BIstanbul Wildcats 0-1 DRX1pm

Play-In Day 3 — Sunday, October 3

MatchTeamsTime (AEST)
Group ALOUD 1-0 Fnatic6am
Group BMAD Lions 1-0 Saigon Buffalo7am
Group ABeyond Gaming 0-1 DetonatioN8am
Group AEG 1-0 Chiefs9am
Group BRNG 1-0 Isurus10am
Group AChiefs 0-1 Beyond Gaming11am
Group BRNG v Istanbul Wildcats12pm
Group BIsurus v DRX1pm

Play-In Day 4 — Monday, October 4

MatchTeamsTime (AEST)
Group ABeyond Gaming 0-1 Fnatic6am
Group ALOUD 1-0 Chiefs7am
Group ADetonatioN 1-0 EG8am
Group BIstanbul Wildcats 0-1 Isurus9am
Group BDRX 1-0 MAD Lions10am
Group BRNG v Saigon Buffalo11am
Group A Tiebreaker 1EG v DetonatioN12pm
Group A Tiebreaker 2LOUD v Winner Tiebreaker 11pm
Tiebreakersif requiredTBD

Worlds 2022 Play-In Squads

TeamTopJungleMidBotSupport
Royal Never Give UpBreatheWeiXiaohuGALAMing
DRXKingenPyosik/JuhanZekaDeftBeryL
FnaticWunderRazorkHumanoidUpsetRhuckz/
Hylissang
Beyond GamingLikai/LiangHuShaMinjiWakoKino
MAD LionsArmutElyoyaNisqyUNF0RGIVENKaiser
Evil GeniusesImpactInspiredjojopyunKaoriVulcan
Saigon BuffaloHasmedBeanJFroggyShogunTaki
DetonatioN FocusMeEviStealYaharongYutaponHarp
Chiefs Esports ClubTopoonArthurTallyRaesAladoric
Istanbul WildcatsStarScreenFerretSerinHolyPhoenixFarfetch
IsurusADDGrellseiyaGavottoJelly
LOUDRoboCroctinownsBranceCeos

Nicholas Taifalos

Nicholas "Taffy" Taifalos got his start publishing the escapades of some of Australia's pioneers in Counter-Strike and Dota overseas. Now, he turns his eye to events closer to home, from grassroots projects to the height of Oceanic competition and everything in-between. He still hopes for the day Dota makes a glorious return to the pinnacle of OCE esports.

PhotographyRiot Games
Nicholas Taifalos
Nicholas Taifalos
Nicholas "Taffy" Taifalos got his start publishing the escapades of some of Australia's pioneers in Counter-Strike and Dota overseas. Now, he turns his eye to events closer to home, from grassroots projects to the height of Oceanic competition and everything in-between. He still hopes for the day Dota makes a glorious return to the pinnacle of OCE esports.

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