New Major Event Added to 2025 LoL Esports Calendar

Riot Games is expanding its global League of Legends esports calendar for 2025 by introducing a third major international event. Scheduled for March 2025, this new tournament will feature five regional slots, with participants determined by performance in the first split of the year. The event will utilize a "Fearless Mode" format, which prohibits teams from selecting champions they have already played within a best-of-series, a mechanic currently being tested in the LPL’s academy-level league.

The structural changes extend beyond the new March event, as Riot has also revamped the qualification pathways for the Mid-Season Invitational (MSI) and the World Championship. For 2025, MSI will allocate two slots per region, while the World Championship will feature 17 teams. Qualification for Worlds is determined by a combination of regional performance, MSI results—which grant an automatic spot to the winner and an extra slot to the second-best performing region—and a final best-of-five play-in match between the 16th and 17th ranked teams.

Furthermore, the 2025 season will introduce a new regional champion determination process, shifting from split-based titles to end-of-season roadshow events. These events will identify the three primary teams representing each region at Worlds. Additionally, Riot is implementing a Tier-2 guest spot system, allowing lower-tier teams to compete for entry into the top-tier professional level. These updates represent a comprehensive shift in the global competitive structure, aiming to increase the frequency of high-stakes international play and refine the path to the World Championship.