No crowd for key Valorant Champions day as hurricane hits Los Angeles

❘ Published: 2023-08-20T12:54:02

Liu YiCun/Riot Games

Sunday’s Valorant Champions 2023 matches will be played behind closed doors as remnants of Hurricane Hilary arrive in California.

Riot Games has announced that fans will not be allowed into the Shrine Expo Hall for Sunday’s Valorant Champions 2023 matches as a safety precaution as California braces for Hurricane Hilary, which is expected to produce heavy rain, flooding, and high winds in the region.

“We request all ticket holders to refrain from attending Champions Los Angeles as tomorrow’s show at the Shrine will not facilitate a live audience,” Riot stated on Saturday, adding that ticket holders can request a refund.

In anticipation of tomorrow's severe weather in Los Angeles, we will not be facilitating a live audience at the Shrine.

Refunds will be available for all impacted ticket holders. #VALORANTChampions pic.twitter.com/BAqMkNvOZ8
— VALORANT Champions Tour (@ValorantEsports) August 20, 2023

Three Major League Baseball games and one Major League Soccer match scheduled to take place in California this weekend have been postponed because of the approaching storm, which could bring more than a year’s worth of rain in a single day.

Riot Games is expecting Sunday’s matches to go ahead as planned. There will be two elimination matches as DRX will face Fnatic, and LOUD will take on EDward Gaming in the second round of the lower bracket.

This is the final day when matches will take place at the Shrine Expo Hall. The tournament will then move to the Kia Forum, where the decisive stages will be held between August 24 and 26.