Seoul has set aside ₩1.369 billion (about $1.02 million) in its 2027 budget proposal to bring the League of Legends World Championship final back to the city. The event has not yet been awarded. The budget appendix describes the item as a bid for the Worlds final and a fan festival.
News1 reported that the line is new. The city has been selected as the preferred negotiating party and is in final negotiations with Riot Games. The money would go mainly to venue rental and accommodation support, with additional administrative support planned for the venue and tournament operations.
A city official told News1 that nothing has been confirmed and that a decision is expected soon. The proposal has been sent to the Seoul Metropolitan Council, whose regular session runs through Dec. 23.
The decision is already late. KeSPA and Riot Games Korea opened a call for knockout-stage host cities on March 9, with a host to be selected in August, but no host has been announced. Seoul has proposed two venues: Gocheok Sky Dome, which held the 2023 final in front of about 18,000 spectators, and Seoul Arena in Changdong, which is due to open in June 2027. The tournament is due to start in late October 2027.
For scale, the city's 2026 budget for game industry promotion and esports is ₩2.849 billion, so the new line equals about 48% of that. When Seoul last hosted the final in 2023, its agreement with Riot Games listed no monetary figure.