With the LCK 2025 season officially starting on January 15th, here is everything you need to know about the LCK Cup 2025 and what it entails for the Korean League of Legends esports ecosystem.
The LCK Cup is the latest kickoff tournament added to League of Legends’ calendar and it serves as a gateway to the inaugural First Stand tournament. With all major regions across the League of Legends ecosystem expanding to a three-split structure, the LCK Cup is the first competition for South Korea’s 2025 LoL season.
LCK Cup 2025 format explained
Compared to previous years where teams played a double round-robin regular split, the LCK Cup will see teams split into two groups of five. Interestingly, teams will not face those in their own groups, but will compete against all opponents from the opposing group in a best-of-three (BO3) single round-robin format.
All matches will implement the newest Fearless Draft mode, which prevents teams from playing a champion that has already been used once during their series.
After the end of the round-robin, the group with more series wins will be the Winners Group, while the other one will be the Losers Group. The top three teams from the Winners Group will advance directly to playoffs. Meanwhile, the remaining two compete against the top four teams from the Losers Group in the play-in stage.
The play-in stage features a double-elimination bracket to determine the last three playoff teams. All matches will be BO3, aside from the deciding series which will be a best-of-five (BO5).
Once the top six teams are confirmed, they will once again play a double-elimination bracket in playoffs, similar to how LCK playoffs were the previous years. The winner will represent the LCK at the First Stand tournament.
Schedule and how to watch LCK Cup 2025
You can catch all the LCK action on the official Twitch or YouTube channel, with both Korean and English commentary available. You can also watch the games on AfreecaTV.
The group stage will start on January 15th and end on February 2nd, with matches taking place from Wednesday through Sunday. The first match of the day will start at 8 AM GMT.
The play-ins stage will last three days from February 7th to February 9th, while playoffs will kick off on February 12th until the finals on February 23rd.
Teams to watch
The LCK received major headlines during the off-season when former T1 top laner Choi ‘Zeus’ Woo-je left the organisation after winning back-to-back World Championships to join Hanwha Life Esports. The series of events saw Choi ‘Doran’ Hyeon-joon replace Zeus on T1.
While there have been other major roster changes, including the return of legendary ADC Park ‘Ruler’ Jae-hyuk to Gen.G, the LCK’s top teams should continue to dominate the competition. T1, Gen.G and HLE are expected to be the front runners, with the other squads competing in the mid-pack. The new Fearless Draft mode, however, might shake up teams’ value more than before as coaches and other strategic aspects of the game will gain more importance in 2025.
The LCK Cup 2025 is set to be one of the most exciting esports events of the year, featuring top teams from South Korea battling it out for glory and a hefty prize pool. Here’s a brief guide to help you navigate this prestigious tournament:
1. Format: The LCK Cup 2025 will feature a double round-robin format followed by playoffs. Teams will compete in best-of-three series during the regular season, with the top teams advancing to the playoffs. The playoffs will be a single-elimination bracket, culminating in the grand finals.
2. Teams: The LCK Cup will feature some of the best teams in South Korea, including powerhouse organizations like T1, Gen.G, and DAMWON Gaming. These teams boast talented players and experienced coaching staff, making for intense and high-level competition.
3. Prize Pool: The LCK Cup 2025 will offer a generous prize pool, with the winning team taking home a significant portion of the winnings. This provides extra motivation for teams to perform at their best and showcase their skills on the big stage.
4. Schedule: The LCK Cup 2025 will run for several weeks, with matches taking place regularly throughout the tournament. Fans can catch all the action live on streaming platforms or attend in-person at the venue to cheer on their favorite teams.
5. Storylines: As with any esports event, the LCK Cup 2025 will feature its fair share of storylines and drama. From underdog teams upsetting favorites to star players making clutch plays, there will be plenty of memorable moments to keep fans on the edge of their seats.
Overall, the LCK Cup 2025 promises to be an exhilarating esports event that showcases the best of South Korean talent and competition. Whether you’re a die-hard fan or a casual viewer, be sure to tune in and witness the excitement unfold.
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LCK Cup 2025, League of Legends, competitive gaming, esports tournament, South Korea esports, LCK teams, LCK Cup format, LCK Cup schedule, LCK Cup results, LCK Cup champions, LCK Cup history.
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