Changes to LEC playoffs match order spark controversy

Plans have shifted — once again. The schedule for the opening round of the LEC playoffs had initially been finalized on Sunday following the conclusion of the regular season at the LEC Roadtrip Madrid. However, Riot Games announced this Tuesday that it had decided to swap the order of the matches during the first weekend of competition.

As a result, the series between and , originally scheduled for Sunday, May 24, will now take place one day earlier, while the matchup between and , initially planned on May 23, has been pushed back by a day. Riot Games stated that the decision was made “to better accommodate team schedules.”

Some fans and figures within the scene have nevertheless questioned the decision. Among them is Team Vitality jungler , who publicly expressed his dissatisfaction in a post on X: “Shouldn't seed 1 not have to play 2 days in a row?”

A sentiment echoed by a number of Vitality and MKOI supporters, who view the change as a potential advantage for G2 and KC, whose winner will now benefit from an additional day of rest before playing a crucial series on Monday, May 25, a match that will secure both a place in the grand final and the first qualification spot for MSI.

While the league’s top seed can understandably question whether it should be required to play on consecutive days, it remains difficult to interpret the situation as outright favoritism. Some people are arguing on social media that KC, KOI, and G2 may have accumulated more fatigue during last weekend’s Roadtrip in Madrid. Above all, last year, Karmine Corp could have found themselves in a very similar scenario during the 2025 Spring Split.

The team had finished first in the regular season and was set to face Movistar KOI in the opening playoff round before potentially having to play G2 Esports the following day, a situation that ultimately never materialized, as MKOI won the initial series. The format of the competition will therefore ultimately follow a similar course to that of last season.