The League of Legends World Championship — aka Worlds 2025 — is officially underway, and the hype is real. Riot Games has confirmed the tournament runs from October 14 to November 9, 2025, and this year’s competition brings big changes, new storylines, and fresh challenges for teams and fans alike.
Where It’s Happening
Worlds 2025 will take place across three iconic Chinese cities:
- Beijing will host the Play-In and Swiss stages.
- Shanghai is the site for the Quarterfinals and Semifinals.
- Chengdu will host the Grand Final at the Dong’an Lake Sports Park’s multifunctional gymnasium.
China last hosted Worlds in 2020 and 2017, so this is a return to familiar territory — but under a brand-new format and competitive landscape.
Format & Innovations
Worlds 2025 brings with it a few notable updates:
- Swiss Stage: From October 15 to 25, 16 teams will battle in a Swiss-system format. Teams with 3 wins advance; teams with 3 losses are eliminated. Early rounds are best-of-one (Bo1), and later rounds Bo3.
- Play-In: There’s a limited Play-In stage this year, primarily to fill out the final spots in the Swiss bracket.
- Fearless Draft: One of the most talked-about changes — teams will be prevented from picking the same champion more than once in a series, encouraging more variety in picks and draft strategies.
- Region Restructuring: This Worlds features participation from newly merged leagues:
- LCP (Asia-Pacific): merging PCS, LJL, VCS, LCO.
- LTA (The Americas): combining LCS, CBLOL, and LLA (though Riot has announced LTA will be discontinued after this season).
These structural changes aim to balance competition and bring fresh diversity to the tournament.
Music, Drops & Fan Perks
- The official Worlds 2025 anthem — titled “Sacrifice” — is performed by Chinese singer G.E.M. and dropped just ahead of the tournament.
- In-game drops (emotes, icons, etc.) are available to claim simply by watching matches.
- The tournament slogan? “Earn Your Legacy.”
Early Storylines & Teams to Watch
- Bilibili Gaming recently secured a third straight LPL title heading into Worlds, asserting their dominance in China.
- Several teams are making their first appearance or reappearance under new banners — e.g. Anyone’s Legend (LPL) and Movistar KOI (LEC region) are hot topics.
- Gen.G became the first confirmed team to qualify via their Mid-Season Invitational result.
These teams, among others, are already being eyed as dark horses or favorites depending on how they adapt to the new format.
Milestones to Watch
| Phase | Dates | Notes |
|---|---|---|
| Start / Opening | Oct 14 | Kickoff, including a Play-In match between T1 and Invictus Gaming. |
| Swiss Stage | Oct 15–25 | Main group battles; teams jockey for positioning. |
| Knockouts | Oct 28 – Nov 2 | Quarterfinals & Semifinals in Shanghai (Bo5 format). |
| Grand Final | Nov 9 | Winner claims the Summoner’s Cup in Chengdu. |
What to Keep an Eye On
- Draft diversity: With Fearless Draft in play, teams will have to dig deeper into their champion pools.
- Big upsets: The Swiss system rewards consistency but also gives mid-tier teams chances to make waves.
- Meta shifts: China has a reputation for bold meta experimentation — we could see new strategies emerge.
- Regional clashes: How the newly merged regions (LTA, LCP) fare against legacy powerhouses (LCK, LPL) will be a key storyline.
As Worlds 2025 gets rolling, the mix of fresh format changes, new league structures, and fan-focused perks could make this one of the most dynamic championships yet.