League of Legends Worlds 2025 format, teams, prize pool, Pick’Ems, where to watch, and more

The fifteenth year of Worlds is shaping up to be a huge event. Here's everything you need to know.

The League of Legends (LoL) World Championship 2025 is here, and it's huge celebrationm being the fifteenth anniversary of LoL Esports. With the theme Earn Your Legacy, this year’s Worlds heads back to China, where 22 teams will battle for the Summoner’s Cup and international glory. 

From Beijing’s opening clashes to the grand finale in Chengdu, here’s everything you need to know about Worlds 2025.

When and where is Worlds 2025?

The 15th iteration of Worlds will be held in China. The tournament is split into three stages across three Chinese cities.

• Play-In Stage: Starts 14 October in Beijing, with matches at 4 p.m. CST / 10 a.m. CET / 1 a.m. PT / 4 p.m. SGT.
• Swiss Stage: Runs from 15–22 October, also in Beijing. Most matches begin at 4 p.m. CST, though 15–16 October and 25 October start earlier at 1 p.m. CST / 7 a.m. CET / 10 p.m. PT (14 October) / 1 p.m. SGT.
• Knockout Stage: Moves to Shanghai and Chengdu from 25 October to 9 November, with matches at 3 p.m. CST / 9 a.m. CEST / 12 a.m. PT / 3 p.m. SGT. The Quarterfinals run from 28–31 October, the Semifinals on 1–2 November, and the Finals close the event on 9 November in Chengdu.

Which teams are competing?

Worlds 2025 features 22 teams from across the globe:

• 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), 

How does the format work?

At the Play-ins, the fourth seed of the LPL and the LCK will go head-to-head in a five-game series. The winner will move on to the Swiss Stage.

The Swiss Stage is the centrepiece of the competition. Teams are divided into seeding tiers:

• Tier 1: Top seeds from each region (5 teams)
• Tier 2: Second seeds plus the third seed from the Play-In winner’s region (6 teams)
• Tier 3: Remaining third seeds and the Play-In winner (5 teams)

Round one pairs Tier 1 vs Tier 3 and Tier 2 vs Tier 2, with no same-region matches. From there, teams face others with the same record,  and never the same opponent twice.

By the end of the Swiss Stage, eight teams qualify: two at 3–0, three at 3–1, and three at 3–2. The Knockout Draw on 25 October locks in the quarterfinal bracket, with no protection from rematches or regional clashes.

Prize pool and rewards

The prize pool will be confirmed closer to the Finals, but it will grow through revenue from in-game Worlds content, Twitch subscriptions, and merchandise.

Worlds 2025 Merchandise: Fan gear that fuels the prize pool

This year’s official Worlds 2025 merchandise line brings jerseys, apparel, and collectibles themed around the event. Sales from the collection will directly contribute to the overall prize pool, giving fans a way to support both their favourite teams and the tournament itself.

Exclusive Drops

Fans can also collect exclusive Drops by watching on LoLEsports.com. Rewards unlock during big moments, such as the “LET’S GOOO!” Emote on Opening Day or the “Buffmo” Emote during the Trophy Ceremony. Other milestones, including Pentakills and Baron steals, also trigger rewards like the Esports 2025 Capsule.

Pick’Ems: Predict and play along

Fans can test their predictions with Pick’Ems, which open on 8 October. Participants fill out their bracket across Play-Ins, Swiss, and Knockouts for a chance to earn rewards.

This year, Pick’Ems come with a fresh visual redesign and a new system that rewards fans based on both accuracy and streaks. Perfect predictions could net rare in-game prizes and exclusive icons tied to Worlds 2025.

Where to watch Worlds 2025

Every match will stream live on:

• Twitch.tv/RiotGames
• LoLEsports.com
• Regional Twitch channels including LTA Sul, LTA Español, LoLEsports TW, and League of Legends JP

This year also features the largest co-streaming programme in Worlds history, powered by Opera GX. Over 100 creators will host their own broadcasts in multiple languages and styles, with more details revealed on 7 October.

As the 15th anniversary of LoL Esports unfolds, Worlds 2025 unites the game’s past, present, and future across Beijing, Shanghai, and Chengdu, with the Summoner’s Cup awaiting its next champion.