Riot Games was sure about their decision to go for the small Riot Games Arena, as anyone would have guessed, which is located in Brazil where they hold the Brazilian league, CBLOL, and it is crowded and not big at all. The storm of outrage and incredulity is sweeping through the replies to the announcement tweet. Gamers say such things as it is a joke, and honestly, they are not wrong.
Riot Games has indeed made a tough call by choosing the Riot Games Arena, which if you didn’t know is where they conduct their Brazilian league, the CBLOL. And it is absolutely not big. The storm of outrage and disbelief is sweeping through the replies to the announcement tweet. Gamers are saying things like it is a joke, a disgrace, and honestly? They are not wrong.
Let’s analyze it. One gamer, @theJS0N, went on describing it as “absurd” how Brazil is treated with “disrespect.” He noted that the regular CBLOL tournament’s small auditorium is already at capacity, and tickets are extremely scarce and hard to get. And now, for an INTERNATIONAL tournament, they are squeezing into the same tiny space? “Melhorem RIOT,” they said, which means, in other words, “do better, Riot.” The atmosphere conveys the same across the board.
The estimates that are being shared are indeed very harsh. People are saying there will be only 130 tickets for each day. 150 seats. For such a world stage event. @rav3nnnbr went straight and labelled it as “madness.” @josiiverso accused Riot of being a “shameless company” regarding the figure of 130 tickets each day. The mood is just… how could they think this was fine?
It’s the disappointment after a long wait. @caduxqdl could not have said it any better: “we have been waiting for 9 fucking years for this and the best you can do is 130 seats? c’mon bro.” Nine years! In the world of esports that’s a lifetime! Players have been dreaming of a big international tournament on their territory, and the situation is that of a tiny studio that can accommodate only a few hundred people. It is like promising a concert in a stadium and then booking a coffee shop instead.
And comparisons have already started. @psianaclaramnz pointed out that even the LTA Finals (a.k.a. the Liga Latinoamérica, another regional league) managed to get a better, larger venue. So, it is not that it can’t be done. The question that everybody is asking is… why? Why go for the smallest possible option? @hideonfakerr summed it up saying that there are many people who want to come but they just won’t be able to because of the lack of space. It is a case of exclusivity created by pure space limitation, not by prestige.
But anger aside, there is also the passion of gamers that is hard to ignore. @JogadordeYuumi’s reply was just a simple prayer: “we need a new space.” It is not complaining only, it is asking for something better, and they are confident that their region and fans deserve it. The community around the Brazilian League is big, loud, and very committed. It feels bad to see them treated as if they are getting a second-class ticket to a worldwide event.
In the midst of all the chaos, however, one reply was different from its negative mood. @Luckk2412, with a KCORP flag, simply said “Get ready, we’re coming back to back #KCWIN.” So at least someone is focusing on the competition! But even that hype comment seems somewhat isolated in a flood of complaints about the venue.
So what’s going on, Riot? Although the ticketing date is changed, the venue is already causing total chaos in the community. Gamers are not just a little annoyed, they are actually offended. This reflects a bigger issue in esports sometimes when the logistical planning does not seem to be in sync with the scale of the fanbase’s passion. You have this super passionate player base in Brazil that can fill huge venues for other events, and for FST 2026, the plan is a studio. It just does not make sense.
This incident serves as a harsh reminder that players still consider the live event aspect of the gaming experience to be the most important thing. It’s all about the people, the atmosphere and the moment shared. To be able to host such a world-class tournament and yet limit it to a small affair is to invite trouble, especially for fans on PlayStation and Xbox who follow these events closely.
