LEC Winter 2025 Preview

LEC (League of Legends EMEA Championship) is a tournament that brings together the European, Middle Eastern, and African regions. The top ten teams from this region will face off in the competition for the title of LEC Winter 2025 champions and a spot at First Stand 2025.

Lec Winter 2025 Format

This year, we will see a slightly unusual format for this tournament compared to what we are used to. Here’s what to expect:

Regular Season

• Single Round Robin
• Each team plays 9 matches
• All matches are Bo1
• Top 8 teams advance to the Playoffs

Playoffs

• Top 8 teams from Regular Season
• Double Elimination Bracket
• Round 1 and Round 2 matches are Bo3
• All other matches are Bo5
• Winner qualifies for First Stand

This format adds more dynamism to the games, pushing teams to give their all in every match, as any game could be their last. For us, as spectators, this makes the viewing experience even more engaging. Teams will play faster and approach matches fully prepared, and what could be more exciting than intense and beautiful gameplay from professional teams?

Perhaps the old format was fairer, where each team faced every other team twice, reducing the impact of luck on the results. Bo5 matches allow for more comeback opportunities and greater strategic depth. However, from a spectator’s perspective, it can sometimes be hard to watch every match to the end, as interest tends to wane in the middle of the games.

Lec Winter 2025 Teams

This year, the lineup of ten teams competing in the European league has remained almost unchanged. The following teams will play in LEC Winter 2025:

• Fnatic
• G2 Esports
• GIANTX
• Karmine Corp
• KOI
• Rogue
• SK Gaming
• Team BDS
• Team Heretics
• Team Vitality

Will G2 Esports, who claimed victory in every regional championship last year, be able to repeat their achievement? Despite their dominance in the European region, G2 unfortunately failed to deliver the same strong results at the Worlds Championship 2024. Will G2 be able to showcase the European League of Legends meta this year?

It’s also intriguing to see how Rogue will perform, given their unusual situation. They attempted to sell their LEC slot to various teams. According to the latest reports, they tried to negotiate a deal with Team Falcons, but the talks fell through due to the latter's strained relations with Riot Games. Later, rumors surfaced about a possible slot sale to other organizations, including Nigma Galaxy from the MENA region, but no official confirmation or finalized deal followed.

As a result, Rogue remains in the LEC. However, the question remains: can they perform well under these circumstances, or will this just be a tournament for the sake of participation and nothing more? We’ll find out soon enough.

LEC Winter 2025 Schedule

LEC Winter 2025 will kick off on January 18, 2025, and conclude on February 3, 2025.

Group Stage (Regular Season):

• Week 1: January 18–20, 2025
• Week 2: January 25–27, 2025
• Week 3: February 1–3, 2025

Playoffs:

• Week 4: February 15–17, 2025
• Week 5: February 22–24, 2025
• Week 6: February 28 – March 2, 2025

The matches will take place at the Riot Games Arena in Berlin, Germany. The winner of the tournament will earn a spot at the international event First Stand 2025, starting on March 10, 2025.

Interestingly, the games will be played on three different patches. The first week will run on patch 15.1, the second and third weeks on patch 15.2, and the Playoffs stage on patch 15.3. These changing conditions could significantly impact match results and outcomes. The new tournament format, combined with a new patch for each stage, will be a true test for the teams participating in LEC Winter 2025 and an incredible spectacle for fans, filled with exciting games and suspense.

This year, the developers have prepared a lot of content for us. Some of it is a real gift for casual players, while for professionals, it’s a new challenge and a step toward greatness. Don’t miss out—grab the League of Legends Season 15: LoL Roadmap 2025 to stay updated on important changes, events, and a host of exciting gifts from Riot Games.

LEC Winter 2025 Prize Pool

The prize pool for LEC Winter 2025 is €80,000.

• The tournament winner receives €40,000.
• Second place earns €25,000.
• Third place is awarded €10,000.
• Fourth place gets €5,000.

In addition to the monetary reward, the winner also secures a spot at the international event First Stand 2025. This tournament directly impacts a team's position in the upcoming Mid-Season Invitational (MSI) 2025, which is crucial, as MSI offers teams a chance to qualify for the Worlds Championship.

What to Expect from LEC Winter?

Riot Games has prepared plenty of exciting updates for us, from new formats to new leagues. Make sure to save the LoL Upcoming Events 2025 roadmap so you don’t miss the incredible matches that the strongest teams will showcase.

Even the most experienced analyst won’t be able to predict what to expect from LEC Winter. The tournament format has undergone significant changes, and former favorites like G2 Esports have made major roster adjustments. For some teams, it’s unclear whether winning the tournament is their main goal. Therefore, it’s impossible to confidently determine which team will dominate and which might falter.

One thing is certain: the matches will be exciting and dynamic, and we can look forward to watching beautiful gameplay from the professional League of Legends players.