For the first time in the 14-year history of the LCK, the regular season will split into two groups as Rounds 3 through 5 commence on July 23.

The LCK is operating as a single season for 2025. After an initial double round-robin stage involving all 10 teams, the structure shifts. The top five teams from the first two rounds will form the 'Legend Group', while the bottom five move into the 'Rise Group'. Each group will then engage in a triple round-robin format consisting of best-of-three series.

While the LCK has toyed with tournament formats before, never has it split the regular season teams into distinct groups like this. Following the first two rounds, the Legend Group consists of Gen.G, Hanwha Life Esports, T1, Nongshim RedForce, and kt Rolster, while Dplus KIA, BNK FearX, OK Savings Bank Brion, DRX, and Freecs make up the Rise Group. Matches within these groups will span six weeks, with teams facing their group peers three times each.

Round 3 kicks off on July 23 with Dplus KIA facing OK Savings Bank Brion. Later that same day, we see a clash between Gen.G, who finished the first two rounds with an impeccable 18-0 record, and Hanwha Life Esports, who secured a 14-4 standing. With matches running Wednesday through Sunday, each team is scheduled for two games per week, balancing the workload across both groups.

The top two teams in the Legend Group earn a direct ticket to Round 2 of the playoffs, while the 3rd and 4th place teams head to Round 1. The 5th place Legend Group team and the top three from the Rise Group move into the play-in stage. Unfortunately, the 4th and 5th place teams in the Rise Group will see their season come to an abrupt end.

The play-in stage, which marks the beginning of the post-season, runs from September 3 (Wed) to September 7 (Sun) using a double-elimination bracket. The winners of the upper bracket and final match will secure their spots in the LCK playoffs.

The LCK playoffs themselves will feature a six-team double-elimination bracket. The teams advancing from the play-ins will face the 3rd and 4th seeds from the Legend Group in Round 1, with the victors proceeding to challenge the top two seeds in Round 2. It’s a forgiving format where one loss doesn't end the dream, though two defeats result in elimination. The playoffs begin on September 10 (Wed), culminating in the grand final on September 28 (Sun) to crown the 2025 LCK champion.

These playoffs effectively replace the traditional World Championship qualifiers. The LCK champion takes the 1st seed for Worlds, the runner-up takes the 2nd, and the 3rd place finisher gets the 3rd seed. Depending on the LCK’s performance at the MSI in Vancouver, Canada (held from June 28 to July 13), an additional 4th seed could be granted to the region. In that scenario, the 4th place playoff team would also head to the World Championship.