TL;DR:
The LEC will have a three-split format in 2025
Each split will boast a unique format
Fearless Draft will feature in Winter, with more best-of-threes introduced to Spring and Summer
Every split will crown an LEC champion and offer International Tournament qualification
The LEC roadshow will take place during the Summer Split
We’re partnering with teams to pilot bringing the LEC to fans locally during Spring Split
Almost all matches will be played on the latest patch
Championship Points and Season Finals have been removed
With Worlds 2024 nearing its climax, we’re starting to get excited about the 2025 LoL Esports season in EMEA. Now, it’s time to reveal all the changes we’re bringing to the league next year!
But first, in case you missed it, here’s a reminder of some super important LoL Esports ecosystem updates we revealed earlier this year. This includes the news that in 2025, we’re introducing a brand-new international tournament, Fearless Draft, and a new, three-split league structure to all Tier 1 leagues, including the LEC.
Thirsty for more updates? Read on to hear more about everything coming to the LEC in 2025!
Split Structure
First up, we’re adjusting our split structure for 2025, to better connect our sport to our game ecosystem. That means we’ll no longer host Season Finals, and instead, host three splits per year (Winter, Spring, and Summer), more closely mirroring the three ranked competitive seasons we recently revealed for the game.
As part of the season changes, we’ve decided to experiment a little too. That means we’ll be offering up a unique format for every single split, with Fearless Draft as the theme for Winter, and more best-of-threes introduced during Spring and Summer.
And, kiss goodbye to Championship points as well. Every split will offer high stakes, with the LEC trophy and qualification for the proceeding international event on the line.
Now for the split-by-split breakdown…
Winter Split
We’re tweaking the Winter Split format to prepare our region for the introduction of the new international event. So, fans can expect a spiced-up Playoffs, which will see Fearless Draft introduced for ALL matches during this stage of the competition.
With a short turnaround time between the start of the year and the first International event, we’ve opted to keep the format untouched aside from the introduction of Fearless Draft. So, first up we’ll have a three-week, single round-robin group, featuring best-of-one series matches. The top eight teams will then progress to a double-elimination Playoff bracket, consisting of both best-of-three and best-of-five series. The LEC Winter Split Final will then crown our first LEC Champion of the year, and see the winner go on to compete in the all-new international event.
Can’t wait for the winter action to begin? We can officially reveal that the season will kick start on January 18!
Spring Split
The Spring Split will see us introduce more best-of-threes to the LEC, which we know is something fans have been eager to see us experiment with. During Spring, we’ll host a seven-week regular season, with all LEC teams playing a minimum of nine best-of-threes against all other teams in the league as a single round-robin.
This time, just six teams will qualify for Playoffs, which will again feature a double-elimination bracket. However, importantly, all matches will feature best-of-five series matches, and won’t feature Fearless Draft. Playoffs will crown our second champion of the year, as well as offer up the two finalists a spot at MSI.
Summer Split
Summer will continue to offer up more best-of-threes during the regular season, but this time, we’re opting for a different format. For Summer, our ten LEC teams will be drafting themselves into two groups, with each team playing best-of-three series matches against every team in their respective group.
The top eight teams will then advance from groups, with the top two teams from each group advancing directly to Playoffs. The third and fourth-placed teams from each group will then cross-play in a best-of-three decider, to determine which two teams join the top four teams in Playoffs.
The Playoff bracket will then see the top six teams compete against each other in another double-elimination, best-of-five bracket, to determine the winner of the final split of the year, as well as which teams will represent EMEA at Worlds 2025.
Summer will also play host to the LEC roadshow, which will now take place at the end of the Summer Split, with the location and venue set to be revealed early next year.
Partnering with teams to bring more LEC to fans locally
In 2025, we’re piloting new ways to bring the LEC to fans locally. By working closely with LEC teams, we’re taking the LEC on the road, and hosting a very limited number of Spring Split matches in local countries at a venue of the participating teams’ choice. The pilot project will see 1-2 local LEC events held next season, with further details set to be revealed in 2025. We’re also committed to evaluating the concept throughout the year, to assess expanding this further in the future.
Live Patch Matches
Moving forward, teams will play almost all matches on the live patch. While most matches will be played on the live patch, where new patches are introduced too close to a gameweek, or once Playoffs have started, we’ll opt to play on the older patch, to uphold the competitive integrity of the league.
We can’t wait to welcome fans and players back to our feeds and the Riot Games Arena in Berlin for the 2025 LEC Season! The Winter Split will start on January 18, so be sure to dust off your Teemo hats, polish your armour, and mark your calendars. In the meantime, make sure to stay tuned to lolesports.com and our social media platforms so you don’t miss out on any of the postseason news or action.
