2025 LPL season

Last updated
2025 LPL season
League LPL
Sport League of Legends
Duration
  • 12 January – 1 March (Split 1)
  • 22 March – 14 June (Split 2)
  • 19 July – 21 September (Split 3)
  • 25–27 September (Regional Qualifiers)
Number of teams16
Split 1
Winners Top Esports
  Runners-up Anyone's Legend
Season MVP Kim "Doinb" Tae-sang
(Ninjas in Pyjamas)
Split 2
WinnersAnyone's Legend
  Runners-up Bilibili Gaming
Season MVPLee "Tarzan" Seung-yong
(Anyone's Legend)
Split 3
Season
Champions		Bilibili Gaming
  Runners-upTop Esports
Season MVPYu "JackeyLove" Wenbo
(Top Esports)
LPL seasons
2026 →

The 2025 LPL season was the 13th season of the League of Legends Pro League (LPL), a Chinese professional esports league for the video game League of Legends . It was the first LPL season under the new three-split structure and competitive calendar introduced by the game's developer Riot Games starting with the 2025 competitive season. [1] Unlike past seasons, the 2025 LPL season is merged into three stages. The season began on 12 January and ended on 27 September.

Contents

League changes

Season structure and format

In line with Riot Games' announcement of a new split structure and competitive calendar for League of Legends esports beginning with the 2025 competitive season, the LPL announced on 14 December 2024 a three-stage season, with each stage having a different format. [2] In addition, a season champion will be crowned after the third stage, and results from one stage will have implications for a team's seeding and placing for the succeeding stages. Initially, only Split 1 had "Fearless Draft", which was popularized by China's LoL Development League, where teams cannot pick a champion that they've already played in a series, even if the champion was picked by the opposing team. However, before the final of the 2025 First Stand Tournament on 16 March 2025, Riot Games announced that the format would continue for the rest of the season, including LPL's Split 2 and Split 3. [3]

Teams

Only one team change occurred heading into the 2025 season. On 18 November 2024, the LPL repurchased Rare Atom's franchise slot, with the organization citing financial difficulties. With RA's departure, the league reduced to 16 teams. [4]

Split 1

Format

Split 1 featured sixteen (16) competing teams during the Regular Season and were divided into four groups of four teams. Each team in their respective groups played a single round-robin where all matches were played as best-of-fives. The top two (2) teams in each group advanced to the eight-team Double-elimination tournament bracket, where all matches were also best-of-fives. The top seeds from each group were placed in the upper bracket while second seeds from each group were placed in the lower bracket. The winner of Split 1 qualified for the 2025 First Stand Tournament as the league's lone representative. [5]

In addition to "Fearless Draft", side selection during the first game of each best-of-five series was decided by a one-on-one solo match. All subsequent games in a series had side selection given to the losing team. [6]

Group Stage

Group A

PosTeamPldWLPCTQualification
1 Anyone's Legend 3301.000Advance to playoffs
2 Top Esports 321.667
3 LGD Gaming 312.333
4 Team WE 303.000
Updated to match(es) played on 17 February 2025. Source: LoL Esports

Group B

PosTeamPldWLPCTQualification
1 JD Gaming 3301.000Advance to playoffs
2 Weibo Gaming 321.667
3 Oh My God 312.333
4 Ultra Prime 303.000
Updated to match(es) played on 17 February 2025. Source: LoL Esports

Group C

PosTeamPldWLPCTQualification
1 TT Gaming 3301.000Advance to playoffs
2 Bilibili Gaming 321.667
3 EDward Gaming 312.333
4 LNG Esports 303.000
Updated to match(es) played on 17 February 2025. Source: LoL Esports

Group D

PosTeamPldWLPCTQualification
1 Ninjas in Pyjamas 3301.000Advance to playoffs
2 Invictus Gaming 321.667
3 Royal Never Give Up 312.333
4 FunPlus Phoenix 303.000
Updated to match(es) played on 17 February 2025. Source: LoL Esports

Playoffs

The remaining teams were drawn into their respective matchups during a draw show on 16 February 2025.

Lower Bracket Round 1

Bracket

Upper Bracket Round 1Upper Bracket FinalFinal
22 February
TT Gaming1
25 February
JD Gaming3
JD Gaming2
22 February
Anyone's Legend3
Ninjas In Pyjamas2
Anyone's Legend31 March
Anyone's Legend1
Lower Bracket Round 2Lower Bracket Round 3Lower Bracket FinalTop Esports3
24 February
27 February
TT Gaming1
26 FebruaryJD Gaming1
Bilibili Gaming3
Bilibili Gaming1Top Esports3
24 February
Top Esports3
Ninjas In Pyjamas1
Top Esports3

Source: LoL Esports

Awards

AwardPlayerTeam
Finals MVPJackeyLove Top Esports
Season MVPDoinb Ninjas in Pyjamas
1st All-Pro Team
Flandre Anyone's Legend
Tarzan
DoinbNinjas in Pyjamas
Leave
KaelAnyone's Legend
2nd All-Pro Team
Ale JD Gaming
Beichuan TT Gaming
ScoutJD Gaming
1xnTT Gaming
ppgodNinjas in Pyjamas
3rd All-Pro Team
TheShy Invictus Gaming
Kanavi Top Esports
knight Bilibili Gaming
PeyzJD Gaming
FeatherTT Gaming

Split 2

Format

Split 2 featured four phases – Group Stage, Rumble Stage, Knights Rivals and Playoffs, with the same (16) competing teams from Split 1 during the Regular Season. For the group stage, teams were re-seeded into four groups of four teams, similar to Split 1, based on the results from the said stage. Each team in their respective groups play a double round-robin where all matches are played in best-of-ones. The top two (2) teams in each of the four groups during the group stage advanced to "Group Ascend" for the rumble stage, while the third ranked teams in each group competed in a double-elimination play-in bracket, with a mix of best-of-one and best-of-three matches to determine the last two (2) spots in Ascend. The bottom ranked team in each group were placed in "Group Nirvana".

In the rumble stage, teams in the Ascend group competed in a double round-robin, while those in the Nirvana group were in a single round-robin. In each group, all matches were played in best-of-threes. The top four (4) Ascend teams advanced to the playoffs, while the next six teams qualified for the Knights Rivals stage. Meanwhile, the top two (2) teams of "Group Nirvana" joined latter stage. Teams that placed third and fourth were eliminated but featured in Split 3. The bottom two (2) Nirvana teams were eliminated from the 2025 LPL season. [7] [8]

The "Knights Rivals" Stage was a play-in tournament where the bottom six (6) Ascend teams and the top two (2) Nirvana teams competed in best-of-five matches, with the winning four (4) teams advancing to the playoffs. The playoffs were contested in an eight-team Double-elimination tournament bracket, where all matches were played in best-of-fives. The top four teams that advanced from Group Ascend got to choose their opponents in the upper bracket. The two (2) finalists automatically qualified for the 2025 Mid-Season Invitational, with the winner of Split 1 earning the LPL's first seed and the runner-up as the second seed.

A group stage draw was conducted on 14 March 2025 to determine the composition of the four groups.

Group Stage

Group A

  • Dates of Matches: 22 & 26 March
  • EDG and WE had a tie-breaker match for 3rd place, which WE won.
PosTeamPldWLPCTQualification
1 Weibo Gaming 651.833Group Ascend
2 Bilibili Gaming 651.833
3 Team WE 725.286Qualification Bracket
4 Edward Gaming 716.143Group Nirvana
Updated to match(es) played on 26 March 2025. Source: LoL Esports

Group B

  • Dates of Matches: 24 & 28 March
PosTeamPldWLPCTQualification
1 Anyone's Legend 651.833Group Ascend
2 TT Gaming 633.500
3 Ultra Prime 624.333Qualification Bracket
4 Royal Never Give Up 624.333Group Nirvana
Updated to match(es) played on 28 March 2025. Source: LoL Esports

Group C

  • Dates of Matches: 25 & 29 March
PosTeamPldWLPCTQualification
1 Top Esports 6601.000Group Ascend
2 Ninjas in Pyjamas 633.500
3 FunPlus Phoenix 624.333Qualification Bracket
4 Oh My God 615.167Group Nirvana
Updated to match(es) played on 25 March 2025. Source: LoL Esports

Group D

  • Dates of Matches: 23 & 27 March
PosTeamPldWLPCTQualification
1 Invictus Gaming 6601.000Group Ascend
2 JD Gaming 642.667
3 LGD Gaming 624.333Qualification Bracket
4 LNG Esports 606.000Group Nirvana
Updated to match(es) played on 27 March 2025. Source: LoL Esports

Ascend Play-In

Round 1Qualification Match 1Advance to Group Ascend
30 March
FunPlus Phoenix1
30 March
LGD Gaming0
FunPlus Phoenix2
30 MarchFunPlus Phoenix
Ultra Prime1
Ultra Prime1
Team WE0
Relegation MatchQualification Match 2
31 March
31 MarchUltra Prime1
Team WE
LGD Gaming0Team WE2
Team WE2

Source: LoL Esports

Rumble Stage

Knights Rivals

Playoffs

Upper quarterfinalsUpper semifinalsUpper finalFinal
31 May
1Top Esports3
2 June
8FunPlus Phoenix1
1Top Esports0
31 May
4Bilibili Gaming3
4Bilibili Gaming3
9 June
5Invictus Gaming0
4Bilibili Gaming2
1 June
2Anyone's Legend3
2Anyone's Legend3
3 June
6Team WE0
2Anyone's Legend3
1 June
7Weibo Gaming1
3JD Gaming214 June
7Weibo Gaming32Anyone's Legend3
4Bilibili Gaming1
Lower round 1Lower quarterfinalsLower semifinalsLower final
7 June
4 June7Weibo Gaming113 June
8FunPlus Phoenix25Invictus Gaming311 June4Bilibili Gaming3
5Invictus Gaming35Invictus Gaming35Invictus Gaming1
8 June6Team WE0
5 June1Top Esports2
6Team WE36Team WE3
3JD Gaming1

Source: LoL Esports

Awards

AwardPlayerTeam
Finals MVPTarzan Anyone's Legend
Season MVP Kanavi Top Esports
1st All-Pro Team
369Top Esports
Kanavi
knight Bilibili Gaming
JackeyLoveTop Esports
KaelAnyone's Legend
2nd All-Pro Team
FlandreAnyone's Legend
Tarzan
Shanks
Peyz JD Gaming
ONBilibili Gaming
3rd All-Pro Team
TheShy Invictus Gaming
XunJD Gaming
Scout
HopeAnyone's Legend
CrispTop Esports

Split 3

Format

In Split 3, the remaining fourteen (14) teams entered the rumble stage. The teams that played in the Split 2 Playoffs will automatically be placed in "Group Ascend", while the remaining six (6) teams were placed in "Group Nirvana". Each team in their respective groups are playing a double round-robin where all matches are being played in best-of-threes, with the top four (4) Ascend teams advancing to the playoffs and the bottom four of the same group advancing to the "Knights Rivals" stage. Meanwhile, the top four (4) Nirvana teams will also join the said stage, with the bottom two teams automatically eliminated.

Teams in the "Knights Rivals" Stage competed in best-of-five matches, with the winners advancing to the playoffs. The playoffs, much like Split 2, was contested in an eight-team Double-elimination tournament bracket, where all matches were played in best-of-fives. The top three teams that advanced from Group Ascend got to choose their opponents in the upper bracket while the fourth-ranked team played against the team that was not selected. [6] The winner of Split 3 was crowned the Season Champion and secured qualification for the 2025 League of Legends World Championship. [5]

Side selection for Game 1s w beas decided by a coinflip, where the winners picked their side for the first game, while the losing team will get to choose for the following game. When a series reached Game 5, the losing team in Game 4 got to choose. [9]

Rumble Stage

Knights Rivals

Playoffs

Venues:

Upper quarterfinalsUpper semifinalsUpper finalFinal
7 September
Bilibili Gaming3
9 September
JD Gaming2
Bilibili Gaming3
7 September
Invictus Gaming1
Invictus Gaming3
15 September
EDward Gaming0
Bilibili Gaming3
8 September
Top Esports2
Anyone's Legend2
10 September
Weibo Gaming3
Weibo Gaming1
8 September
Top Esports3
Top Esports321 September
Ninjas in Pyjamas1Bilibili Gaming3
Top Esports2
Lower round 1Lower quarterfinalsLower semifinalLower final
13 September
11 SeptemberWeibo Gaming120 September
JD Gaming3JD Gaming316 SeptemberTop Esports3
EDward Gaming2JD Gaming0Anyone's Legend1
14 SeptemberAnyone's Legend3
12 SeptemberInvictus Gaming0
Anyone's Legend3Anyone's Legend3
Ninjas in Pyjamas1

Awards

World Championship qualification

Championship points

PosTeamS1S2S3TotalQualification
1 Bilibili Gaming 1070AQAQ 2025 World Championship
2 Anyone's Legend 159080185
3 Top Esports 2020110150Advance to Regional Qualifier 3rd Seed Playoff
4 Invictus Gaming 5504095
5 JD Gaming 10106080Advance to Regional Qualifier Elimination Match
6 Weibo Gaming 5204065
7 Team WE 030030
8 Ninjas in Pyjamas 501015
9 EDward Gaming 001010
10 FunPlus Phoenix 010010
11 TT Esports 5005
12 LGD Gaming 0000
13 LNG Esports 0000
14 Ultra Prime 0000
15 Royal Never Give Up 00N/A0
16 Oh My God 00N/A0
Source: [ citation needed ]

Regional Qualifier

The regional qualifier was a tournament consisting of the top four teams in the LPL based on championship points that had not directly qualified for the 2025 World Championship. The top two teams faced off, and the winner earned a spot in the World Championship. The bottom two teams then played against each other, with the losing team being eliminated. The remaining two teams then competed for the last LPL spot in the 2025 World Championship. The three best-of-five matches were held over three consecutive days, from 25 to 27 September.

Bracket

Venue: Buji Culture & Sports Center, Shenzhen

Round 14th Seed PlayoffAdvance to Worlds
25 September
3rd Seed Playoff
3Top Esports3
Top Esports
4Invictus Gaming127 September
4Invictus Gaming
26 September
Elimination Match		5JD Gaming
5JD Gaming3
6Weibo Gaming1

Source: LoL Esports

References

  1. ↑ "LoL Esports: Building Towards A Brighter Future". lolesports.com. Retrieved 12 January 2025.
  2. ↑ "League of Legends: LPL Announces Exciting 2025 Format Changes". ZLeague.gg. 14 December 2024. Retrieved 14 January 2025.
  3. ↑ Ciocchetti, Cecilia (16 March 2025). "Fearless Draft is here to stay: "Overwhelmingly positive feedback," says Riot's global head of LoL Esports". Dot Esports. Retrieved 16 March 2025.
  4. ↑ Jadhav, Ganesh (18 November 2024). "Rare Atom Sells LPL spot; More teams to reportedly follow suit". Strafe Esports. Retrieved 14 January 2025.
  5. 1 2 Xu, Davide (16 December 2024). "LPL 2025 format Explained". Esports.net. Retrieved 12 January 2025.
  6. 1 2 Guimarães, Sofia (14 December 2024). "LPL format changes for 2025: "Hard" fearless draft and 1v1!". Esports.gg. Retrieved 12 January 2025.
  7. ↑ "LPL 2025 Format Explained". Tacter. Retrieved 12 January 2025.
  8. ↑ "For those confused about the LPL format..." Alex Hapgood. 22 March 2025 – via X (formerly Twitter).
  9. ↑ Marchoude, Ilyas (8 July 2025). "LoL: No more 1v1s for side selection and a switch to BO3s — big changes for the LPL this Split 3". Sheep Esports. Retrieved 13 July 2025.
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