Detailed match schedule for the 2021 MSI group stages has been announced. Taking place on May 6, the opening match will see 2020 world champions, DWG KIA going against the LCS representatives, Cloud9. Historically, NA teams have faltered on the international stage. However, with Luka “Perkz” Perković transferring over from G2 to Cloud9, the mid lane matchup against Heo “ShowMaker” Su will be the one to look out for.

It was announced that VCS (Vietnam) is unable to attend this year’s MSI due to travel restrictions imposed by the COVID-19 pandemic. With only three teams in group A (RNG, Pentanet.GG, and Unicorns of Love), the number of matches that they will be playing has doubled. Teams in group A will be playing against one another four times, for a total of 8 matches.

The group stages of the 2021 MSI will be taking place from May 6 to May 11, the rumble stage will be from May 14 to May 18, and the knockout stages will be from May 21 to May 23.

■ 2021 MSI Group stages schedule

May 6 (10 PM KST)

Match 1 - DWG KIA vs Cloud9

Match 2 - Gillette Infinity vs DetonatioN FocusMe

Match 3 - Royal Never Give Up vs Pentanet.GG

Match 4 - Pentanet.gg vs Unicorns of Love

Match 5 - İstanbul Wild Cats vs paiN Gaming

Match 6 - MAD Lions vs PSG Talon

May 7 (10 PM KST)

Match 1 - Pentanet.GG vs Royal Never Give Up

Match 2 - Unicorns of Love vs Royal Never Give Up

Match 3 - Gillette Infinity vs DWG KIA

Match 4 - DetonatioN FocusMe vs Cloud9

Match 5 - İstanbul Wild Cats vs MAD Lions

Match 6 - paiN Gaming vs PSG Talon

May 8 (10 PM KST)

Match 1 - Royal Never Give Up vs Unicorns of Love

Match 2 - Unicorns of Love vs Pentanet.GG

Match 3 - DWG KIA vs DetonatioN FocusMe

Match 4 - Cloud9 vs Gillette Infinity

Match 5 - MAD Lions vs paiN Gaming

Match 6 - PSG Talon vs İstanbul Wild Cats

May 9 (Group A, 10 PM KST)

Match 1 - Unicorns of Love vs Royal Never Give Up

Match 2 - Unicorns of Love vs Pentanet.GG

Match 3 - Royal Never Give up vs Pentanet.GG

Match 4 - Royal Never Give up vs Unicorns of Love

Match 5 - Pentanet.GG vs Unicorns of Love

Match 6 - Pentanet.GG vs Royal Never Give Up

May 10 (Group B, 10 PM)

Match 1 - MAD Lions vs İstanbul Wild Cats

Match 2 - PSG Talon vs paiN Gaming

Match 3 - İstanbul Wild Cats vs PSG Talon

Match 4 - paiN Gaming vs MAD Lions

Match 5 - paiN Gaming vs İstanbul Wild Cats

Match 6 - PSG Talon vs MAD Lions

May 11 (Group C, 10 PM)

Match 1 - Cloud9 vs DWG KIA

Match 2 - DetonatioN FocusMe vs Gillette Infinity

Match 3 - DWG KIA vs Gillette Infinity

Match 4 - Cloud9 vs DetonatioN FocusMe

Match 5 - DetonatioN FocusMe vs DWG KIA

Match 6 - Gillette Infinity vs Cloud9