[UPDATED 9/22] Mercedes-Benz signs global partnership with Riot Games ahead of Worlds 2020

Mercedes-Benz has partnered with Riot Games for all global League of Legends esports events. The automotive marque will be a partner starting at the 2020 World Championship, and its partnership will introduce a variety of new facets to the competitive LoL landscape.

In addition to Worlds, Mercedes-Benz' partnership with Riot will also include the Mid-Season Invitational, which traditionally takes place between the spring and summer splits of the domestic season, as well as the All-Star event that takes place at the end of each year.

Mercedes-Benz will be featured with the same visual representation as other global partners for LoL esports competitions and will also be the first ever partner for the trophy ceremony of the World Championship. In addition, the partnership will bring opportunities for players to earn Hextech Chests in-game during Worlds 2020.

"Esports is truly a global phenomenon. You have millions of people playing League of Legends on a daily basis all over the globe," said Bettina Fetzer, Vice-President of Marketing at Mercedes-Benz in a pre-Worlds media show.

"We’ve been engaged with League of Legends on a regional level over the past few years, but we really felt that it was time to expand into the next level and engage with an even broader audience and support a community we’ve come to call family."

This isn't Mercedes-Benz's first esports partnership — the automotive brand partnered with League of Legends Pro League squad Royal Never Give Up in 2018, and Fetzer is confident in the brand's ability to bring its presence to the global stage. "What we’ve learned in the past years that the more authentically we are engaged in this partnership the more we can provide to the community," Fetzer explained.

While Riot Games' list of sponsors for Worlds 2020 is extensive, Mercedez-Benz is the only partner outside of Mastercard, who will be handling the opening ceremony of the event.