Will LCK and LPL teams face more difficulties?
As we know, major regions like LCK and LPL (which also have the most Worlds championship titles) have been allocated 4 slots by Riot to participate in the biggest tournament in the League of Legends scene for many years. Additionally, Riot has recently adjusted the rules to allow the MSI champion to have direct access to the Worlds group stage in the same year. This is also considered a “buff” for LCK and LPL, as the MSI championship has almost entirely been dominated by these two regions.
However, recently, according to YSKM – a former player of Invictus Gaming, shared on his stream, starting from 2025, the fourth seeds of LCK and LPL will compete in an additional match to determine which team will qualify for Worlds. No one knows where YSKM got this information, but it has sparked significant debate within the community.
This is because, in at least the last 3 consecutive Worlds tournaments, the fourth seeds from LCK and LPL have performed very well on this stage. In fact, the fourth seeds from LCK have won the championship twice (DRX, T1). Therefore, eliminating any fourth seed could leave many fans disappointed.
What’s the truth behind the information regarding LCK and LPL?
Moreover, if one of the two fourth seeds is eliminated, it means the number of slots for Worlds will be reduced. However, up to now, Riot has not made any official announcements regarding this. Additionally, LCK and LPL are also two of the three regions that have not been merged into a larger region. Riot has not announced any increases in slots for the merged regions. Therefore, there is no reason for them to reduce the slots for LCK and LPL.
On the other hand, the information from YSKM and the player himself did not disclose any sources for his announcement. Therefore, the community should only remain skeptical. Until top informants in the League of Legends scene or even Riot speak out, everything remains just a rumor.