The 15th anniversary of the League of Legends World Championship (Worlds 2025) celebrates nearly two decades of unrivaled dominance and serves as the ultimate proving ground for esports greatness. From Oct. 14, the world’s top teams will clash for the Summoner’s Cup, with a jaw-dropping $5 million on the line.
In this guide, we’ve broken down all the key details about Worlds 2025, from the schedule, format, teams, and prize pool to expert predictions on who’s primed for a deep run in China.
Disclaimer: All odds quoted are accurate as of Oct. 8, 2025, and are subject to change.
Worlds 2025 Schedule & Format
Worlds 2025 runs from Oct. 14 to Nov. 9 across three host cities in China: Beijing (JD Esports Center) for the Play-In and Swiss Stages, followed by Shanghai (Mercedes-Benz Arena) and Chengdu (Dong’an Lake Sports Park Multifunctional Gymnasium) for the Knockout Stage and Finals.
The Play-In Stage (Oct. 14) kicks things off with a best-of-five format, where lower-seeded teams fight for their spot in the main event. From there, the Swiss Stage (Oct. 15-25) brings all qualified squads together for best-of-one and best-of-three matchups, where records decide survival.
The Knockout Stage (Oct. 28 to Nov. 9) raises the stakes in a best-of-five, single-elimination bracket. Both the Quarterfinals and Semifinals will be played in Shanghai before the Finals head to Chengdu on Nov. 9 to crown the 2025 LoL World Champion.
You can find the full schedule below or refer to the official LoL esports website for detailed fixtures.
| Stage | Dates | Location | Series | Start Time |
| Play-In Stage | Oct. 14 | Beijing | Bo5 | 4 p.m. CST | 10 a.m. CET | 1 a.m. PT |
| Swiss Stage | Oct. 15-16,Oct. 25 | Bo1 / Bo3 | 1 p.m. CST | 7 a.m. CET | 10 p.m. PT (previous day) | |
| Oct. 17-19, Oct. 22-24 | 4 p.m. CST | 10 a.m. CET | 1 a.m. PT | |||
| Quarterfinals | Oct. 28-31 | Shanghai | Bo5 | 3 p.m. CST | 9 a.m. CET | 12 a.m. PT |
| Semifinals | Nov. 1-2 | |||
| Finals | Nov. 9 | Chengdu |
Prize Pool Distribution
Worlds 2025 will have a guaranteed $5 million prize pool, which is more than double last year! The pool will also be topped up by a percentage of the revenue generated from in-game sales.
Here’s how the prize money will be distributed:
| Place | Prize Money (US$) | Prize Pool Share (%) |
| 1st | $1,000,000 | 20.0% |
| 2nd | $800,000 | 16.0% |
| 3rd-4th | $400,000 | 8.0% |
| 5th-8th | $300,000 | 6.0% |
| 9th-11th | $175,000 | 3.5% |
| 12th-14th | $125,000 | 2.5% |
| 15th-16th | $112,500 | 2.25% |
| 17th | $75,000 | 1.5% |
| Grand Total | $5,000,000 | |
How To Watch Worlds 2025
You won’t miss a second of Worlds 2025 with Thunderpick. Head to our LoL Esports betting page and hit the “Live” tab to see every ongoing match or click the camera icon to jump directly into the stream with live in-play markets right beside it. That way, you can watch and wager in real time, all in one place.
You can also follow the action on the LoL Esports YouTube and Riot Games Twitch channels, plus dozens of co-streamers worldwide.
Teams Competing In Worlds 2025
Sixteen of the world’s best LoL teams from every major region will battle for the Summoner’s Cup in the 15th anniversary edition of Worlds. This includes four teams from China (LPL), four from Korea (LCK), three from EMEA (LEC), three from the Americas (LTA), and three from Asia Pacific (LCP).
LPL
- Bilibili Gaming (BLG)
- Anyone’s Legend
- Top Esports
- Invictus Gaming
LCK
- Gen.G
- Hanwha Life Esports (HLE)
- KT Rolster
- T1
LEC
- G2 Esports
- Movistar KOI
- Fnatic
LTA
- FlyQuest
- 100 Thieves
- Vivo Keyd Stars
LCP
- CTBC Flying Oyster
- PSG Talon
- Team Secret Whales
Our Predictions For Worlds 2025
LCK and LPL teams have long ruled the international stage, so it’s no shock that Gen.G, HLE, BLG, and T1 headline our Worlds 2025 predictions. Still, with Swiss and Fearless Draft in play, hungry EMEA and Americas teams could still lead a dark horse run that could easily shake up the bracket.
Important: These predictions reflect the perceived strength of teams based on historical trends and the latest available odds. This analysis should not be interpreted as betting advice. Past performance does not guarantee future outcomes. Always gamble responsibly.
Gen.G (+200)
Gen.G (#1 GPR) leads as the outright favorite going into Worlds, supported by an 87.5% win rate this season (42-6 W/L). The team practically tore through the domestic and international circuits, lifting trophies at nearly every major event, including MSI (back-to-back winners), the Esports World Cup (EWC), and LCK 2025 Season.
Anchored by a superstar core of Chovy, Ruler, and Canyon—all hailed among the best players in their roles and with a massive cabinet of awards to prove it—Gen.G brings both the experience and silverware to back their dominance!
Gen.G roster:
- Kim “Kiin” Gi-in
- Kim “Canyon” Geon-bu
- Jeong “Chovy” Ji-hoon
- Park “Ruler” Jae-hyuk
- Joo “Duro” Min-kyu
- Kim “KIM” Jeong-soo (Coach)
Hanwha Life Esports (+225)
Despite a slip at EWC, HLE (#2 GPR) has posted an impressive 70.6% win rate this season (36-15 W/L), putting them within reach of the Worlds 2025 crown. This includes lifting the LCK Cup over Karmine Corp (3-1), claiming First Stand against Gen.G (3-2), and finishing runner-up in the LCK after another five-game clash with Gen.G.
With two-time World Champion Zeus locking down the top lane, Peanut dictating the map from the jungle, and the duo of Zeka and Viper bringing consistent late-game firepower, HLE has all the tools to be the deadliest roster at Worlds.
HLE roster:
- Choi “Zeus” Woo-je
- Han “Peanut” Wang-ho
- Kim “Zeka” Geon-woo
- Park “Viper” Do-hyeon
- Yoo “Delight” Hwan-joong
- Choi “DanDy” In-kyu (Coach)
T1 (+450)
The back-to-back defending World Champions, T1 (#3 on GPR), have not secured a title this season. Yet, their strong placements at MSI (2nd), the Esports World Cup (3rd), and the LCK 2025 Season (4th) still mark them as a dangerous threat, especially given their close contests with frontrunners Gen.G and HLE.
Beyond that, T1 boasts a potent lineup that includes superstar jungler Oner, bot duo Guma-Keria, and four-time World Champion Faker (arguably the world’s all-time greatest LoL player). Even without Zeus, the team maintains a world-class caliber with Doran stepping into the top lane.
T1 roster:
- Choi “Doran” Hyeon-joon
- Mun “Oner” Hyeon-jun
- Lee “Faker” Sang-hyeok
- Lee “Gumayusi” Min-hyeong
- Ryu “Keria” Min-seok
- Kim “kkOma” Jeong-gyun (Coach)
Bilibili Gaming (+500)
It’s been three years since an LPL team lifted the Summoner’s Cup, and if there’s any roster primed to end the drought, it’s BLG (#5 on GPR). They enter Worlds as China’s strongest hope, supported by a 4th-place finish at MSI and a solid domestic record as they climbed from 4th in Split 1 to 2nd in Split 2 before finally taking 1st in Split 3.
With Bin’s explosive laning and Knight’s surgical mid control, BLG has all the tools to finally chase down a Worlds title. The Chinese juggernaut fields one of the most mechanically gifted cores, with Elk and ON rounding out the bot as a consistent late-game win condition. BLG is not a team to be underestimated!
BLG roster:
- Chen “Bin” Ze-Bin
- Yang “Beichuan” Ling
- Zhao “Shad0w” Zhi-Qiang (Substitute)
- Zhuo “Knight” Ding
- Zhao “Elk” Jia-Hao
- Luo “ON” Wen-Jun
- Fu “BigWei” Chien-Wei (Coach)
Are You Ready For Worlds 2025?
Get ready for an unforgettable showdown at Worlds 2025, the biggest stage in League of Legends esports history. With powerhouse teams from every region, fresh formats, and a massive $5 million prize pool, this year’s championship is shaping up to be one for the ages.
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