Adjustments to Format for LPL

bo1 matches will be played as part of Split 2 Placements. bo3 and bo5 series throughout Split 2 and Split 3 will be played using True Fearless Draft.

Split 2 Placements

4 groups of 4, double round robin bo1. Top 2 qualify for Group Ascend, 3rd qualifies for Ascend Qualifiers, 4th drops to Group Nirvana.

Split 2 Ascend Qualifiers

GSL group. A3 vs C3, B3 vs D3 in Round 1 (bo1), all other games bo3.
2 teams qualify for Group Ascend, the other 2 drop to Group Nirvana.
Game 1 side selection in this stage will be determined by 1v1, with the exception of the lower bracket finals, in which side selection will go to the loser of upper bracket finals.

Split 2 Regular Season

10 teams in Group Ascend, 6 teams in Group Nirvana. Double round robin bo3 within Group Ascend, single round robin bo3 within Group Nirvana.
Game 1 side selection in this stage will be determined by 1v1.
Top 4 teams in Group Ascend qualify directly to playoffs. The other 6 teams and the top 2 teams from Group Nirvana (#5 through #12) qualify for Knight's Path.
Bottom 2 teams in Group Nirvana are eliminated from LPL 2025 and will not participate in Split 3.

Split 2 Knight's Path

8 teams play 1 qualification bo5 against another team depending on seeding. #5 vs #12, #6 vs #11 etc. Game 1 side selection is held by the higher-seeded team, Game 5 side selection will be determined by 1v1.

Split 2 Playoffs

8 team double elimination bracket. Top 4 teams select their Round 1 opponents with #1 going first.
The top 4 teams hold side selection over their Round 1 opponent.
Side selection will be held by the upper bracket finalist, and by teams in the lower bracket immediately after they have dropped from the upper bracket. (likely does not apply for lower bracket round 1). All other matches have side selection determined by coin toss.
Should any series go to game 5, side selection for game 5 will be determined by 1v1.
Top 2 teams qualify for MSI 2025 as #1 and #2.

Split 3 Groups

All 8 teams participant in Split 2 Playoffs form Group Ascend, the other 6 teams form Group Nirvana.
Single round robin bo5 within each group.
Top 4 teams in Group Ascend qualify directly for playoffs, the other 4 teams in Group Ascend and the top 4 teams from Group Nirvana qualify for Knight's Path.
Bottom 2 teams in Group Nirvana are eliminated from Worlds contention.

Split 3 Knight's Path

8 teams play 1 qualification bo5 against another team depending on seeding. #5 vs #12, #6 vs #11 etc. Game 1 side selection is held by the higher-seeded team, Game 5 side selection will be determined by 1v1.

Split 3 Playoffs - Championship

8 team double elimination bracket. Top 4 teams select their Round 1 opponents with #1 going first.
The top 4 teams hold side selection over their Round 1 opponent.
Side selection will be held by the upper bracket finalist, and by teams in the lower bracket immediately after they have dropped from the upper bracket. (likely does not apply for lower bracket round 1). All other matches have side selection determined by coin toss.
Should any series go to game 5, side selection for game 5 will be determined by 1v1.
The winning team will be crowned as this year's sole LPL Overall Champion.
Top 3 teams qualify for the Swiss Stage of Worlds 2025. Should LPL finish top 2 as a region at MSI 2025, the 4th placed team will qualify for a qualification bo5 against the 4th placed team of the other top 2 region for the final spot in the Swiss Stage.