Riot Games announced on the 1st the operational structure, participating teams, detailed schedule, and various player-focused events for the 2025 League of Legends (LoL) World Championship.

The LoL World Championship is the ultimate stage where the world's finest teams clash for the top spot and is the most prestigious LoL esports tournament. This year’s World Championship is held under the theme 'Earn Your Legacy,' carrying the message that 'greatness is not given, but must be earned.'

As previously announced, this World Championship will be held in Beijing, Shanghai, and Chengdu, China. The Play-in stage, which begins on the 14th (Tue), and the Swiss Stage, running from the 15th (Wed) to the 25th (Sat), will take place at the Beijing Smart Esports Center. The Knockout Stage will be held at the Mercedes-Benz Arena in Shanghai from the 28th (Tue) to November 2nd (Sun), and the grand finale will take place at the Dong'an Lake Sports Park Multifunctional Gymnasium in Chengdu on November 9th (Sun).

The Play-in stage on the 14th features a best-of-five series. T1, participating as the LCK's 4th seed, will face off against the LPL's 4th seed, Invictus Gaming. The winner of this series will advance to the Swiss Stage, while the loser will be eliminated.

The Swiss Stage, which follows immediately, will feature 16 teams. From Korea (LCK), Gen.G (GEN), who were the first in the world to secure their spot by winning the Mid-Season Invitational (MSI), will be joined by Hanwha Life Esports (HLE), kt Rolster (KT), and T1. If the LCK, which has won 9 out of the 14 World Championships held so far, wins this year, it will mark their fourth consecutive title since 2022 and make them the first regional league in history to reach double-digit wins.

From the host country China (LPL), Bilibili Gaming (BLG), Anyone's Legend (AL), Top Esports (TES), and Invictus Gaming (IG) will compete. From EMEA, the 'traditional powerhouse' G2 Esports (G2) will participate as the 1st seed, alongside Movistar KOI (MKOI) and Fnatic (FNC), which holds the record for the most World Championship appearances at 13. From the Americas (LTA), FlyQuest (FLY), Vivo Keyd Stars (VKS), and 100 Thieves (100T) will compete, while from the Asia-Pacific (LCP), CTBC Flying Oyster (CFO), Team Secret Wales (TSW), and PSG Talon (PSG) will challenge for the world title.

The Swiss Stage draw, which takes place after the Play-in matches on the 14th, will follow a different format than before. The 3rd seed from the regional league of the team that wins in the Play-in will be promoted to the 2nd pool. The 1st pool consists of the 1st seeds from the five regional leagues, while the 2nd pool includes the 2nd seeds from each region and the 3rd seed from the Play-in winner's region. The 3rd pool consists of the remaining 3rd seeds from each region and the Play-in winning team. In the first round of the Swiss Stage, the 1st pool will face the 3rd pool, and the 2nd pool will face the 2nd pool, with teams from the same region not facing each other. From the second round of the Swiss Stage, teams with the same record—1-0 vs 1-0, 1-1 vs 1-1—will face off, and teams will not meet the same opponent again. If the same matchup repeats or a draw results in a duplicate matchup, the team will be redrawn into the next available slot.

Teams that record 3 wins in the Swiss Stage will advance to the Knockout Stage. Since there will be two teams with a 3-0 record, three with 3-1, and three with 3-2, the 3-0 teams will face the 3-2 teams in the quarterfinals and be placed on opposite sides of the bracket. The remaining teams will be drawn in order, and matchups will be determined based on the draw results without any additional restrictions.

During the 2025 World Championship, the official LoL esports website will offer a total of 9 new limited-time rewards. Additionally, fans will have the chance to earn 2025 Esports Capsules whenever a pentakill, Baron steal, dragon steal, or 'Silver Scrapes' plays during a match, with various sponsors also providing additional drops.

The 'Pick'em' challenge also adds to the fun of watching the World Championship. Powered by AWS, the Pick'em opens on the 7th (Tue), one week before the start of the World Championship, and begins with Crystal Ball and Swiss Stage predictions. Starting with the Swiss Stage predictions, the Knockout Stage predictions will follow on the 25th (Sat), concluding with the finals on November 9th (Sun).

This year's Pick'em introduces a new feature called 'Factions,' diversifying the ways to enjoy the event with the community. By participating in a faction, fans can join their favorite creators and earn points based on the progress of the 2025 World Championship. At the end of the tournament, the faction with the highest average score will be awarded an exclusive emote for all its participants.

Prestige chromas for the 2017 Samsung Galaxy and 2018 Invictus Gaming championship teams will also be released. Building on the success of the MSI, an international tournament skin promotion will be held for the 2025 World Championship. From November 10th (Mon) to the 18th (Tue), skins used by the winning team in the finals will be offered at a significantly discounted price. Position bundles will be 50% off, and individual skins will be 33% off, with prices automatically adjusted based on skins already owned. Unique emotes designed by LoL esports pro teams will also be introduced, and team-branded summoner icons will be available once again.

To commemorate the 15th anniversary of LoL esports, the 2025 World Championship official Riot Store collection will also be unveiled. This collection is themed around the 'Twilight Trials' storyline and consists of various accessories and apparel. The 2025 World Championship collection will be available for purchase through the Riot Store starting on the 13th (Mon).

In addition, the 2025 World Championship UNLOCKED package, provided by Opera GX, will be released. It consists of physical and digital items to commemorate the 15th anniversary of LoL esports and will be sold through the Riot Store.