A big event is coming up in the world of professional LoL eSports: This year’s return of the World Cup tournament promises hard-fought clashes between top teams. They will compete for an all-time-high $2 million prize pool. Another turning point came when NAVI decided to participate in the League of Legends EMEA Championship.
World Cup 2025: From Schedule to Prize Distribution
LoL fans are looking forward to enjoying matches within the 2025 Esports World Cup. This is evident both in the increased interest in the odds dynamic. And it is reasonable as the World Cup is special this year: the return to the main stage became possible thanks to a three-year agreement signed by Riot Games and the Esports World Cup Foundation. Under the terms of the agreement, League of Legends (as well as other games powered by Riot Games) will be represented at the EWC until the end of 2027.
In 2025, LoL betting sites will see an increased number of teams competing in Riyadh. The prize pool this year is also significantly larger — teams will be able to receive a share of $2 million and secure their place in eSports history. In addition, judges will determine the tournament’s most valuable player, who receives the MVP prize of $10,000.
EWC 2025 LoL: Schedule and Format
The format of the 2025 championship will be the same as the previous year. During the first two days, teams compete in the group stage (July 16–17). The playoffs follow from July 18 to 20, there are competitions between the teams that entered the playoffs. The group stage will feature eight teams that placed 5th to 12th. The decisive parameter here is a team’s final result in the Mid-Season Invitational (MSI).
Before the start of the tournament, all 8 teams are divided into 2 groups (four teams each). The competition will be held with double elimination. Group stage matches will follow a best-of-one format. After the group stage finals, the 2 teams with the best results join the playoffs.
In addition to the group stage winners, the four highest-seeded teams (based on their final placings at the MSI) will advance directly to the playoffs. This tournament stage will be played in a single-elimination format. The quarter finals are scheduled for July 17 and 18. In these matches, teams need to win three games in a row. The semi-finals take place on July 19 and are also subject to a best-of-three format. The finals start on July 20, where the champion must win a best-of-five series.
NAVI Wants to Get a Slot for the LEC
According to a recent report from Sheep Esports, the Ukrainian esports organization NAVI has decided to join the League of Legends EMEA Championship. As expected, this will happen during this year’s summer split. To do this, NAVI plans to buy a slot currently owned by the European organization Rogue.
There are currently no details about the purchase as the management is waiting for the end of the spring split. The report highlights that such a decision marks the end of a long saga that has been going on since 2023. Then, two years ago, the Saudi eSports organization Team Falcons also wanted to get Rogue’s place in the LEC.
Currently, Rogue leaves the LEC due to a series of losses. The culmination of this was a poor result in the 2022 summer playoffs. Despite the organization’s efforts to regain its footing, it failed to compete with the best teams in Europe. This year’s results are also disappointing and finished last in the spring split with a 2–7 record.
As for NAVI, this move boosts NAVI’s recognition and strengthens its position in the European eSports industry. In addition to LoL, the company has also expanded to Chess, Apex Legends, and Mobile Legends: Bang Bang over the past year. NAVI will be the first team in two years to acquire an LEC slot in two years (if the deal is confirmed). Before that, Karmine Corp did the same, receiving a share in the slot (2023) owned by Astralis.
