TL;DR:

• Welcome Pulse Star

• Announcing the NACL Qualifier

• NACL Split 1 Overview

• Liga Ace partners for the NACL

• Where to Watch

Welcome back to another year of the NACL - the dedicated path to pro for North America League of Legends players! We’re here to give you some updates about the upcoming year. If you need a refresher on what’s all been shared so far, head over to our Americas Tier 2 Primer article that we released late last year.

Welcome Pulse Star

As we approach the NACL 2025 competitive season (soon ™!), an update has emerged since our initial Tier 2 Americas announcement. We’re excited to welcome Pulse Star to the NACL, an impressive newcomer that came close to qualifying during their first competitive year in the previous NACL Qualifier. As part of our goal to support an open and accessible ecosystem under the new LTA model, three NACL spots also remain up for grabs in the upcoming NACL Qualifier tournament.

NACL Qualifier - Your Chance to Qualify!

The upcoming NACL Qualifier offers teams a one-time opportunity to compete for three open spots in NACL Split 1. This massive tournament will feature a 64-team double-elimination bracket with best-of-three (Bo3) matches. The top two teams from the winner’s bracket will battle in a best-of-five (Bo5) showdown for their chance to join the NACL, while the third team will secure their spot through the lower bracket. In alignment with the NACL Split 1 format, the tournament will observe Full Fearless Draft rules where teams may not select any champions from previous matches in a series. While last year featured ban adjustments in games four and five of a series, there will be no ban adjustments this split in accordance with the Tier 1 format. This means that 50 champions will be collectively banned by game five.

Dedicated match coverage will be provided via the NACL Twitch and YouTube channels. In order to facilitate additional coverage given the scale of the tournament, participating teams and players will also be permitted to stream their own matches. To enhance tournament accessibility, all matches will be held on weekends. To ensure roster stability between the qualifier and the start of NACL Split 1, rosters of qualifying teams will be locked through NACL Split 1 Week 1, with qualifier seeding determined by each roster's collective solo queue rankings.

Additionally, updated residency rules for 2025 allow each roster to include up to two non-resident players and one Americas non-resident.

For more details on the Qualifier rules, schedule, bracket, and how to sign up, visit the Qualifier Sign-Up page.

NACL Qualifier Schedule:

• Week 1: 3/1 & 3/2

• Week 2: 3/8 & 3/9

• Week 3: 3/15 & 3/16

NACL Split 1 Preview

The NACL returns on Wednesday March 26th, bringing back the fan-favorite Full Fearless Draft! Split 1 will feature a seven-week regular season, with teams competing in a single round-robin format using best-of-three (Bo3) matches. The top six teams will advance to playoffs, while the bottom two teams will face relegation in the NACL Promotion Tournament.

As with the previous split, the NACL Playoffs will primarily consist of best-of-five (Bo5) matches to amplify the thrilling unpredictability of Full Fearless Draft. Based on player feedback regarding last year’s start times, we are shifting the NACL Split 1 showdays to Wednesday through Friday to better accommodate East Coast players and fans, minimizing late-night matches.

NACL Split 1 will once again include a dedicated qualifier tournament, allowing aspiring teams to challenge the bottom NACL teams for their spots in the league. Additional details about the NACL Split 1 Qualifier will be announced later this year.

Welcoming Liga Ace, NACL Tournament and Broadcast Operating Partner

Just as the launch of the League of The Americas (LTA) marked a pivotal moment for Americas esports, we are also excited to announce new additions to the North American Challengers League (NACL). Liga Ace will be the tournament and broadcast operating partner for the NACL. Over the coming years, Liga Ace will support shaping the future of the North American path-to-pro ecosystem, encompassing everything from the NACL Qualifiers to the Tier 1 Promotion Tournament. With a proven track record, including operating and broadcasting VCT Americas Ascension last year as well as broadcasting DOTA’s The International in 2023, Liga Ace brings invaluable expertise and vision to this partnership as we work together to elevate the Tier 2 competitive landscape.

Where to Watch

Catch all the NACL action live onTwitch.tv/NACL andYouTube.com/@NACL, including dedicated coverage of the NACL Qualifier to determine which three teams will join Split 1. Stay updated with the latest NACL news and match highlights by following X.com/watchNACL. With the addition of the Tier 1 Promotion Tournament and the introduction of the LTA Guest Slot, there’s plenty to be excited about in NA Tier 2 this year. Don’t miss it!