MSI 2024 Play-ins Day 1 Preview: Can T1 Get Another International Win?

The Mid-Seasonal Invitationals are upon us, and the biggest talents in League of Legends pro-play have staked their claim in Chengdu for a sure shot at the biggest championship of the year.

The biggest players in League of Legends esports are gearing up for another MSI. The winners of this year's tournament will not only bring home the lion's share of the $250,000 prizepool, but a guaranteed spot at Worlds 2024, the biggest championship of the year.

As we prepare for another action-packed series, we're checking out the Play-ins teams and their chances of making it past the best-of-three stage. Here's our quick preview of MSI 2024 Play-ins Day 1.

MSI 2024 Play-ins Day 1 Preview

Day 1 of MSI Play-ins will focus on Group A, which is made up of T1, Estral Esports, FlyQuest and PSG Talon.

T1 has had a rough experience in the LCK. At this point, it's common knowledge that the legendary roster suffers domestically, but recent events have really put them in a major disadvantage in terms of preparation.

The roster's figurehead Lee “Faker” Sang-hyeok recently went on the record to call out the targeted DDoS attacks on T1's teams. In an LCK press conference in South Korea, Faker said that the situation “had not been fair”, while implying that a lack of proper practice contributed to their loss against HLE.

That said, T1's legendary macroplay hasn't shown any signs of slowing down. Historically, Faker and co. have only been beaten by LPL teams in MSI. So Estral will need a lot of ingenuity and sheer will to eke out an upset against the reigning champs.

FlyQuest on the other hand has become one of the most consistent teams in their respective region. Their struggle to break past the groups stage last season finally gave them enough insight to improve. And now, it seems the boys in green are poised for another entry into Worlds since their int'l debut in 2020.

After a complete overhaul, the new and improved LCS roster shot up in the domestic standings, taking the FlyQuest brand to new heights in Spring but eventually losing the split title to Team Liquid in an extremely close series.

FlyQuest has fresh talent, dedication and sheer unpredictability on their side. The world has only seen their team play one split, and if they stay consistent, they'll have a qualifiers match with last year's champions before long.

ESTNN’s Match of the Week: Fnatic vs GAM Esports

There'll be a lot of exciting match-ups in the coming days, and one of these will see a reinvigorated Fnatic go up against the most tenacious rosters in the VCS.

Humanoid and co. have had a fantastic showing in the LEC so far this year. While their macro seems inconsistent at times, it's kept them unpredictable, and the results speak for themselves. After a top five finish in Winter, the black and orange roster has only risen the ranks, taking the runner-up spot in the LEC Spring split.

Despite not finding much success in the Worlds stage, GAM Esports are at the top of their class domestically. And it's not uncommon to hear the casters scream Kiaya and Levi's name after intense skirmishes go in their favor. All in all, it'll be an important bo3 series for both teams once May 2 rolls around.

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