Worlds 2025 will mark the third time that China hosts the annual League of Legends world championship tournament.
League of Legends (LoL) developer Riot Games has revealed the venues that will be hosting the three stages of the LoL World Championship 2025, also known as Worlds 2025, in China from October to November.
The Play-In and Swiss Stages will be hosted in the Beijing Smart Esports Center in Beijing, followed by the Knockout Stage in the Mercedes-Benz Arena in Shanghai. Finally, Worlds 2025 will conclude with the Finals hosted in the Dong'an Lake Sports Park Multifunctional Gymnasium in Chengdu.
This will mark the third time that China hosts the annual LoL world championship tournament, with the country previously playing host to the event in 2020 and 2017. Three Chinese teams will be looking to claim the country's third Summoner's Cup on home soil.
The 2025 League of Legends World Championship is heading back to China, and will take place from October 14 to November 9. Fans around the world can look forward to world-class competition, unforgettable moments, and the crowning of the next World Champion. Contesting the world title will be 14 other world-class LoL teams from across the globe.
Here's a breakdown of the different stages of competition in Worlds 2025:
Play-In and Swiss Stages–Beijing Smart Esports Center, Beijing
Worlds 2025 will kick off with 17 teams in contention for this year's Summoner's Cup. The Play-In Stage will kick off on 14 October in Beijing at the Beijing Smart Esports Center, marking the first time that the venue will be hosting Worlds. The Play-In Stage will host a one-day best-of-five between the fourth seeded team of the two best performing regions from the recently-concluded Mid-Season Invitational to punch their ticket to the Swiss Stage.
The Swiss Stage will then follow from 15 to 25 October, bringing together 15 qualified teams from across the globe, plus the winner of the Play-In for eight spots in the Knockout Stage. The Swiss Stage for Worlds 2025 features a dynamic five-round Swiss format competition, with teams needing to win three matches in order to advance while avoiding three losses and subsequent elimination.
Knockout Stage–Mercedes-Benz Arena, Shanghai
The Knockout Stage will then follow from 28 October to 2 November, with the remaining eight teams headed to the iconic Mercedes-Benz Arena in Shanghai. The Knockout Stage will follow a single-elimination format with best-of-five matches. And for the first time in Worlds history, the quarterfinals will roll straight into the semifinals with no break in play.
Finals–Dong'an Lake Sports Park Multifunctional Gymnasium, Chengdu
The 2025 World Finals will then take place on 9 November at the Dong'an Lake Sports Park Multifunctional Gymnasium in Chengdu. Riot Games said in a press release that the Dong'an Lake Sports Park Multifunctional Gymnasium, as “one of Western China’s most modern and architecturally striking stadiums, it offers a fitting backdrop for the final showdown of the season. The stage is set for an unforgettable conclusion to Worlds 2025 as two teams battle for the honor of lifting the Summoner’s Cup.”
