Riot Games Doubled Prize Pool for 2025 League of Legends World Championship

Riot Games has confirmed a $5 million prize pool for the 2025 League of Legends World Championship (Worlds), more than doubling last year’s total. The announcement came from Chris Greeley, Global Head of LoL Esports, in a March 16 interview (spotted by eSports Insider) ahead of the First Stand Tournament finals.

Worlds remains the premier event in League of Legends’ competitive calendar, with the 2024 edition setting a record 6.94 million peak viewership during the Grand Final between Bilibili Gaming and champions T1. Riot previously announced format changes for Worlds 2025, reducing the number of competing teams from 20 to 17. The tournament will take place in China across October and November, concluding the game’s global esports season.

Before Worlds, League of Legends will host the Mid-Season Invitational (MSI) from June 27 to July 12 in Vancouver, Canada. MSI will feature 10 teams competing for a $2 million prize pool, serving as the second international event of the season. The first cross-regional competition of 2025, the First Stand Tournament, concluded last weekend, introducing Riot’s ‘Fearless Draft’ format. Greeley confirmed that the draft system will remain in place after receiving positive feedback from players and teams.

Discussing LoL Esports’ future, Greeley emphasized long-term sustainability over profitability, stating that Riot is focused on building an esports ecosystem that benefits both professional and amateur organizations. “The goal of LoL Esports is not to become a profitable esports. We are focused on building a sustainable ecosystem,” he said. Looking ahead, he expressed confidence in League’s long-term future, reflecting on 15 years of competitive LoL and its trajectory for the next three decades.