Is League of Legends esports getting a third international tournament?

Olivia Richman Published 24/04/2024

Riot is reportedly adding a third international event to its League of Legends circuit.

For the past 10 years or so, there have only been two international events during Riot’s official League of Legends pro circuit. The Mid-Summer Invitational is a test and show of power between the Spring and Summer Split, bringing all top teams from every region together after the Spring Split results. Then, the World Championship is for the best of the best teams from all over the world to fight for the top spot at the end of the season.

What would a third international event mean for pro-League players?

What is the new League of Legends event?

Esports journalist Alejandro Gomis has reported that Riot has allegedly confirmed the addition of a third international event for the 2025 season.

This international event would be held between the Winter and Spring Split, Gomis stated, but the name, location, and format of the tournament have yet to be shared.

What we do know, however, is that it will involve just one top team per region — most likely the best of that region for that season. The report states that this will most likely include minor regions as well.

If this is to become a reality, it would introduce international play as early as March next year. This is pretty exciting, although it would mean the rest of the season would be pushed back a bit to give teams time between the event and the upcoming split. That means MSI would be held later in the year than usual.

It’s also unclear if the LCS, LCK, and LPL would adopt a three-split format to fit into this new schedule. This could also change how teams in each region qualify. However, the three-split format would align the three big regions with the LEC.

According to Gomis, Riot will officially announce this competitive update in June 2024. We might learn more about these season changes at that point.

Olivia Richman

About Olivia Richman

Olivia has worked in media ever since graduating from college, with her coverage ranging from traditional newspaper reporting to digital coverage of all things gaming, online betting, and nerd culture. She has traveled around the world pursuing that coverage, from the far coasts of the United States to the busy downtown core of Tokyo, Japan. Olivia’s favorite games include Overwatch and Super Smash Smash Bros, and she has been published at Esports Illustrated, Inven Global, EsportsInsider, Upcomer, and elsewhere.

View full profile

Read Also

League of Legends

DPlus players haven’t been paid in a month as upcoming acquisition affects finances Michael Hassall Korean esports organization Dplus Kia has reportedly not paid players for multiple titles it competes in for a period of at least a month as it grapples with financial issues related to an upcoming acquisition. The news surfaced on July 16 that the organization was struggling to fulfill its commitments to pay players. Just a few hours later, DPlus released a statement admitting the issues, but insisting that players had ...

Esports Betting

BLG vs T1: Best betting odds and picks for EWC LoL 2026 Hannan Mundia BLG and T1 will face off in the 2026 EWC to determine the first team in Group C to qualify for the playoffs, but which team has a better chance of success? While T1 wasn’t able to beat BLG at the recent MSI tournament, the team has another shot at the 2026 EWC. This match is a best-of-one instead of the typical best-of-five that T1 frequently struggles in, so there ...

Esports Betting

G2 Esports vs AG.AL: Best betting odds and picks for EWC LoL 2026 Hannan Mundia G2 Esports may be the strongest European League of Legends team at the EWC 2026, but how does it stack up against AG.AL? G2 Esports made waves in the recent 2026 Mid-Season Invitational by taking down T1 from the tournament. The team’s next opponent is AG.AL, a team many consider the dark horse of the series. The looming question is whether the LEC royalty can take down the China qualifier ...

Esports Betting

League of Legends at the EWC 2026 preview, details, predictions, and more Hannan Mundia The 2026 League of Legends Esports World Cup has the potential to be even grander than the last, making it all the more important to learn about its schedule and participating teams. League of Legends has no shortage of large-scale international tournaments. While First Stand and the Mid-Season Invitational have concluded, the next event that fans have to look forward to is the Esports World Cup. Gen.G may have dominated ...

League of Legends

HLE’s MSI win may have proven that Gumayusi’s the GOAT Hannan Mundia With HLE winning the 2026 MSI tournament grand final against BLG, there’s a real argument that Gumayusi may be the best ADC player currently. This year’s MSI has finally concluded, and Hanwha Life Esports took home the winning trophy. While it was filled to the brim with ups and downs for every player, Gumayusi may be the only player who consistently performed in every game, regardless of which team was ...

Esports Betting

Hanwha Life Esports vs BLG: Best betting odds and picks for MSI 2026 grand final Hannan Mundia Hanwha Life Esports and BLG will get to have a rematch in the 2026 MSI grand final, but which team will walk away as the victor? The first match between HLE and BLG didn’t really go well for the LCK team. The stakes are much higher this time, and the looming question is whether things will be any different this time around. Tournament: MSI 2026 Stage: Lower bracket final Game: ...

Esports Betting

NA has a winning head-to-head against EU at MSI for the first time since 2018 Wasif Ahmed LYON just beat G2 Esports 3-0 at the LoL 2026 Mid-Season Invitational. Right off the high of beating the six-time World champion T1, the LEC representative quickly came back to Earth as NA cut their run short. Now, North America is ahead of Europe in the head-to-head for the first time since 2018. After G2’s victories against Top Esports and T1, the predictions were split. Part of the community rationally ...