FACEIT, the world’s leading competitive gaming platform and organizers of some of the largest esports events in Europe and North America and Riot Games are pleased to reveal ‘Scouting Grounds Circuit’. With a total prize pool of $60,000, the first season of the official qualifying circuit for LCS Scouting Grounds will take part during the months of July, August, and September and will see the best amateur teams from the North American League of Legends scene compete in a multi-stage tournament. The two highest ranked teams will qualify for Riot Games’ LCS Scouting Grounds event in November, one step closer to competing in the prestigious League of Legends Championship Series (LCS).

The circuit will provide up and coming players with a clear path to going pro and the opportunity to showcase their skills. The circuit also provides LCS teams with the opportunity to sign new talent from within the region. The Scouting Ground Circuit will provide the NA community with a format comprised of ten online events, including qualifier, playoff, and final stages. In addition, several existing amateur leagues will be migrating to the Scouting Ground Circuit and utilizing the FACEIT platform, encouraging amateur tournament organizers to remain involved in the scene they’ve worked so hard to grow and support.

“The FACEIT platform is known to be a training ground for serious players of all levels and has successfully developed esports stars in a number of competitive titles,” said Michele Attisani, Co-Founder & CBO of FACEIT. “We’re thrilled to be working with Riot Games and to have the opportunity to be a part of the development of one of the most dynamic and exciting competitive scenes right now in North American League of Legends.”

“It’s never been more important for us to ensure that we have a robust system in place to facilitate the growth, development, and visibility of the next generation of League of Legends stars,” said Chris Greeley, LCS Commissioner at Riot Games. “Our partnership with FACEIT to provide the Scouting Grounds Circuit allows top amateur teams the opportunity to qualify for our scouting event through the old ‘5 players and a dream’ model that we used to see through our historic Open Qualifier and Promotion Tournaments.”

To learn more about the Scouting Grounds Circuit, head over to FACEIT’s guide on how to sign-up, event overview, rules, schedule, and more.

North American players can still qualify for LCS Scouting Grounds via solo queue. We’ll share more details about the qualification process in the next few days. Stay tuned to Lolesports for more information.