Riot Games just dropped a bombshell on their official website: they’re not just tweaking —they’re overhauling the competitive scheme for League of Legends esports. Thus, prepare for a brand-new third international event, revamped draft modes, adjusted split schedules, and the introduction of multi-region leagues, including a brand-new Asia Pacific league!
Although the name and branding of the new event are still under wraps, here’s what we know: starting March 2025, all regions will battle it out in a global tournament during the first split. The second split will serve as a qualifier for the Mid-Season Invitational, which is now set to kick off in early July. The action will peak with a third split, culminating in a Regional Championship to crown the season-long champions in each region.
The competitive calendar is getting a fresh look, too. July will now be the month for MSI, preceded by a thrilling inter-regional showdown featuring teams from Asia Pacific, Hong Kong, Taiwan, Oceania, and Southeast Asia. This league will debut with eight invited top teams.
The 2024 Pacific Championship Series and Vietnam Championship Series Summer Playoffs will determine the inaugural lineup for the APAC 2025 league. Riot is introducing a hybrid partnership model combined with promotion and relegation, ensuring a dynamic and competitive environment.
“The first lineup of guest teams for next year’s league will be decided by the results of the 2024 PCS and VCS Summer Split Playoffs. This gives every team in the VCS, PCS, LJL, and LCO a shot at securing their spot in the new league,” Riot revealed. “In future seasons, with the promotion/relegation model in place, guest teams can climb up from their domestic leagues.”
The new format means each region will have one slot at the March 2025 tournament. MSI 2025 will feature two slots per region, totaling 10 teams. For Worlds 2025, each region will have three slots, adding up to 15 teams, with the second-best performing region getting an extra slot, bringing the total to 17 teams vying for the championship.
Although Riot hasn’t spilled all the details on the new APAC esports structure, one may guess that they have designed the new scheme based on esteemed LoL Pacific Championship Series. With the recent inclusion of the League of Legends Japan League (LJL) and the League of Legends Circuit Oceania (LCO), fans are surely hoping that Riot has cooked up something spectacular for APAC in 2025.
Stay tuned, summoners—2025 is set to be a year of epic battle!
