Since its return in 2024, the
2025 League of Legends KeSPA Cup invites additional teams to spice up the competition. This year, it will feature
14 teams, including the ten teams from the LCK, as well as international entries from
Team Liquid and
Cloud9 from the LCS, and all-star teams representing
Vietnam and
Japanï»ż.
Last year, the team opened its doors to international players as well, as they invited a roster composed of players from Vietnam and another from Taiwan last year. The tournament opens on December 6, with the group stage and knockout stage scheduled to be held online through December 9. The finals will take place offline from December 11 to 14 at the Sangam SOOP Coliseum in Seoul.
A broader competition
It will likely be the opportunity for Team Liquid and Cloud9 to field their brand-new rosters that will then compete throughout the 2026 LCS season, such as
Lim âQuidâ Hyeon-seung arriving on Team Liquidâs midlane, or
Eain "APA" Stearns at Cloud9.
Vietnam's roster, coached by LĂȘ "SofM" Quang Duy, consists of top-tier players from the region. Japanâs team includes national representatives from the Hangzhou Asian Games and several veteran players who have returned from retirement. So far, no names have been made official yet.
The competition format includes a group stage divided into three groups of teams playing a single round-robin. The group winners advance directly to the semifinals, while the second-place teams move to the playoff bracket. The playoffs are conducted in a double-elimination format, culminating in a grand final between the upper and lower bracket winners.
Disney+ will exclusively broadcast the event globally. The Korean broadcast team consists of casters Jun Yong-jun, Shim Ji-soo, and Lee Sung-hoon, with analysts Kim Dong-jun, Lee Hyun-woo, Shin Jung-hyun, Lee Seo-haeng, and Lim Joo-wan. English broadcasts will be provided by casters Atlus and Wolf.
The deal also includes the opening ceremony of the KeSPA Cup, as well as several Asian Games matches, which means some of the games will be broadcasted in Disney+ in South Korea next year. The deal lasts until December 2026.
Header Photo Credit: KeSPA