Major Changes Coming to League of Legends Esports
Riot Games will introduce significant changes to the League of Legends esports landscape in 2025. The existing LCS, LLA, and CBLOL leagues will merge to form the League of Americas, a new multi-regional league that mirrors the structure of Valorant esports. Here’s what you need to know about this transformation.
League of Americas: Teams and Structure
Which Teams Will Compete?
The League of Americas will feature only 12 teams, resulting in many franchises from the LCS, CBLOL, and LLA not making the cut. The 2024 League of Legends World Championship will determine the final roster of teams for the new league. Notably, NRG Esports and Immortals have already been reported as teams that will not advance to the new league. The remaining LCS teams likely to join include 100 Thieves, Cloud9, Dignitas, FlyQuest, Shopify Rebellion, and Team Liquid. However, final team selections are still pending.
League Format and Schedule
The League of Americas will be divided into two conferences: North and South. The North conference will compete in Los Angeles, while the South conference will play in São Paulo. The league will have a three-split structure:
- First Split: An in-conference tournament where the top teams from each conference face off for potential international event spots.
- Second Split: A traditional round-robin format with cross-conference play to determine qualifications for the Mid-Season Invitational (MSI).
- Third Split: A series play format with best-of-three matches, culminating in a LAN event called the Regional Championship. The top teams will secure spots at the World Championship.
Promotion and Guest Team Slots
Tier 2 Ecosystem Changes
Riot Games is also revamping the Tier 2 ecosystem. Each conference will host a promotion tournament, featuring the top teams from two Tier 2 leagues. The North conference will include teams from the North American Challenger League (NACL) and the new Liga Regional Norte. The South conference will feature teams from CBLOL Academy and the new Liga Regional Sur. These tournaments will follow a double-elimination format, and the guest team from the previous season will also compete for a chance to stay in the league.
Upcoming Announcements
As the 2024 League of Legends World Championship wraps up, more details about the team selections and final league format will be revealed. Stay tuned for updates as Riot Games continues to shape the future of League of Legends esports.
