LCK Cup 2025 will showcase new rosters competing for a chance to represent LCK at the First Stand 2025 tournament.
The League of Legends Championship Korea (LCK) circuit has announced the exciting introduction of the LCK Cup 2025, the first official tournament to kick off the 2025 season featuring the Fearless Draft format. Scheduled to begin on Jan. 15, the tournament will see the winning team represent the LCK at the first international event of 2025 — First Stand.
What is LCK Cup 2025?
LCK Cup 2025 serves as a pre-season tournament aimed at determining which team will qualify for the upcoming First Stand tournament. This tournament also functions as a key training opportunity for LCK teams before the Regular Season, as well as offering fans a thrilling preview of the teams' new rosters and how they adapt to Fearless Draft.
The tournament is set to take place at LoL Park in Seoul starting on Jan. 15. Similar to the LCK Regular Season, this event holds the status of an S-Tier official first-party tournament organized by Riot Games and supported by LCK sponsors.
LCK Cup 2025 teams and roster
A total of 10 LCK teams will be vying for victory in the LCK Cup 2025. The confirmed roster includes:
Team Roster | T1 Doran Oner Faker Gumayusi Keria | Gen.G Esports Kiin Canyon Chovy Ruler Duro | Hanhwa Life Esports Zeus Peanut Zeka Viper Delight | KT Rolster PerfecT Cuzz Bdd Deokdam Way | Dplus KIA Siwoo Lucid ShowMaker Aiming BeryL | DRX Rich Juhan ucal Teddy Andil | BRION Morgan HamBak Clozer Hype Pollu | Nongshim RedForce Kingen Sylvie Fisher Jiwoo Lehends | FearX Clear Raptor VicLa Diable Kellin | Freecs DuDu Pyosik BuLLDoG Berserker Life |
LCK Cup 2025 format and schedule
Commencing on Jan. 15, LCK Cup 2025 will feature a unique format compared to the LCK Regular Season. Below are the key details.
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Group Stage (single round-robin)
The 10 LCK teams will be divided into two groups (Group Baron and Group Elder), with the top two teams from LCK Summer 2024, namely Hanwha Life Esports and Gen.G Esports, assigned to different groups. The results of the group draw will be revealed soon.
Each team will face off in a single round-robin format in best-of-three (Bo3) matches against teams from the opposing group. The first group to secure 13 wins will advance as the Winner Group, while the other group becomes the Loser Group. During this stage, only one team will be eliminated, which will be accordance to the scenario below:
- Top 3 teams from the Winner Group will advance to the Playoffs.
- The bottom 2 teams from the Winner Group and the top 4 teams from the Loser Group will progress to the Play-In Stage.
- The team at the bottom of the Loser Group will be eliminated.
Play-In (double elimination)
Comprising the bottom two teams from the Winner Group and the top four teams from the Loser Group, this stage will feature matches in a double-elimination format. Matches in the Upper Bracket Rounds 1 and 2 will be played as Bo3, while the Lower Bracket Finals will be best-of-five (Bo5). Only three teams will move on to the Playoffs from this stage.
Playoffs (double elimination)
The Playoffs stage will bring together six teams: the top 3 teams from the Winner Group in the Group Stage and the top three teams from the Play-In Stage. Matches will be conducted in a double-elimination format with all games played as Bo5.
Similar to the LCK Season Split bracket, the top two teams from the Winner Group will progress directly to Round 2, with the top team receiving the privilege of selecting their opponent from the Round 1 winner. Ultimately, only one team will emerge victorious as the LCK representative for the first LoL Esports global tournament of the year called First Stand 2025.
Fearless Draft
In addition, LCK Cup 2025 will be the first LCK tournament to features a Fearless Draft. Champions picked from the previous game will be banned in the next game. So in the fifth game of a Bo5, a total of 50 Champions will be banned.
Stay tuned on esports.gg for LCK Cup 2025 updates.
