The League of Legends World Championship 2025 is almost here, and Riot Games has unveiled all the details fans need to know. Celebrating the fifteenth anniversary of LoL Esports, this year’s Worlds carries the theme “Earn Your Legacy” and brings the Summoner’s Cup back to China.

From Beijing’s opening clashes to the Grand Final in Chengdu, 22 of the world’s best teams will fight for international glory. Here’s everything you need to know about the format, schedule, teams, rewards, and where to watch.

Worlds 2025 Format Explained

Worlds 2025 will be split into three stages across three major Chinese cities. The action begins with the Play-In Stage on 14 October in Beijing. This stage sees the fourth seeds from the two top regions battle it out. The LCK’s T1 will face off against the LPL’s Invictus Gaming in a best-of-five series, with the winner moving on to the main event.

Fearless Draft and more changes are coming to Worlds this year – here’s what you need to know. pic.twitter.com/qPP3sncFzS

— LoL Esports (@lolesports) September 30, 2025

Next comes the Swiss Stage, running from 15–22 October, also in Beijing. Sixteen teams will compete across five rounds, with a win-three-advance, lose-three-go-home format. The first two rounds will be best-of-one, while the remaining rounds switch to best-of-three. Teams are seeded to avoid same-region matchups in the opening round, but regional clashes become possible later.

The top eight teams will then move into the Knockout Stage, a single-elimination bracket that starts in Shanghai before shifting to Chengdu for the Finals. Quarterfinals take place from 28–31 October, followed by the Semifinals on 1–2 November. The two best teams will face off on 9 November in Chengdu in a best-of-five showdown for the Summoner’s Cup.

Teams Competing at Worlds 2025

This year’s competition brings together the best of every region:

• China (LPL): Bilibili Gaming (BLG), Anyone’s Legend (AL), Top Esports (TES), Invictus Gaming (IG)
• Korea (LCK): Gen.G (GEN), Hanwha Life Esports (HLE), KT Rolster (KT), T1 (T1)
• EMEA (LEC): G2 Esports (G2), Movistar KOI (MKOI), Fnatic (FNC)
• Americas (LTA): FlyQuest (FLY), Vivo Keyd Stars (VKS), 100 Thieves (100T)
• Asia Pacific (LCP): CTBC Flying Oyster (CFO), Team Secret Whales (TSW), PSG Talon (PSG)

With 22 teams in total, only eight will make it through to the knockout rounds.

Prize Pool, Merch, and Fan Rewards

The prize pool for Worlds 2025 will be revealed closer to the Finals but, as in previous years, will be boosted through in-game sales, merchandise, and subscriptions. Riot has already launched an official Worlds 2025 merchandise line featuring jerseys, apparel, and collectibles, with proceeds contributing directly to the prize pool.

Image Credit: Riot Games

Fans watching on LoLEsports.com can also claim exclusive Drops during key moments of the tournament, including emotes, capsules, and limited icons.

Image Credit: Riot Games

Pick’Ems Are Back

Pick’Ems return on 8 October, giving fans the chance to predict match outcomes across Play-Ins, Swiss, and Knockouts. This year’s system has been refreshed with new visuals and streak-based rewards, with rare in-game prizes for those who nail perfect predictions.

Image Credit: Riot Games

Where to Watch Worlds 2025

All matches will stream live on Twitch.tv/RiotGames and LoLEsports.com, with regional channels also broadcasting games in multiple languages. Riot has confirmed the biggest co-streaming programme in Worlds history, powered by Opera GX, with over 100 creators joining in.

As League of Legends marks 15 years of global competition, Worlds 2025 promises to be one of the biggest yet. With a new format, stacked rosters, and the theme of “Earn Your Legacy,” the stage is set for one team to etch its name into esports history.

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