LoL: Format, Schedule, Pick'Ems... All you need to know about MSI 2025

The 2025 Mid-Season Invitational kicks off on June 27 in Vancouver, Canada, where ten teams from around the world will compete over two weeks to crown the MSI champion. The tournament will begin with a Play-In stage, followed by a Bracket Stage leading up to the Grand Final on July 13. Riot Games has released the MSI 2025 Primer, packed with key information including the schedule, pick’ems, event drops, and the list of co-casters who will cover the tournament.

Starting with the schedule, the Play-In stage of MSI 2025 begins on June 27 with G2 Esports facing FURIA at 12 PM PST, followed by Bilibili Gaming vs. GAM Esports on June 28 at 5 PM PST. The Play-In will wrap up on June 29, with two teams advancing to the Main Stage, which kicks off on July 1. Most of the Main Stage matches are set for 5 PM PST, leading up to the Grand Final on July 13.

The ten qualified teams are: Anyone’s Legend and Bilibili Gaming from the LPL, Gen.G and T1 from the LCK, Movistar KOI and G2 Esports from the LEC, FlyQuest and FURIA from the LTA, and CTBC Flying Oyster and GAM Esports from the LCP. The tournament will be played using Fearless Draft, as it has been throughout the 2025 competitive season. For more details on the format, check out our article.

The teams qualified for the Bracket Stage will be split into four tiers. Tier 1 features Gen.G and KOI, as they represent the two regions that reached the First Stand final earlier this year (Hanwha Life Esports vs. Karmine Corp). Tier 2 includes CFO and Anyone’s Legend, while Tier 3 is made up of FlyQuest and T1. The final tier will consist of the two teams advancing from the Play-In stage.

Depending on which teams qualify from Play-Ins, a draw may be necessary to finalize the Bracket Stage matchups. A random draw will only be required if either G2 and FURIA or GAM and Bilibili Gaming both advance at the same time. All other scenarios have already been predetermined, as explained below.

As with every major event, viewers will be able to earn special MSI emotes by watching the tournament on the LoLEsports website. These drops will trigger during key moments like pentakills, objective steals, or when Silver Scrapes echoes through the Pacific Coliseum.

Pick’Ems are also live, giving fans the chance to predict who will go the furthest, who will score the most kills, and more. Rewards include emotes, capsules, and the Spirit Blossom Hwei skin for the top 2,500 players on the leaderboard. As for anyone who lands perfect picks, they’ll receive all Ultimate skins—along with everything from the previous reward tiers.

The list of co-streamers has also been revealed, with 86 creators set to cover the event in 19 different languages—there’ll be something for everyone at this year’s MSI. A brand-new HUD has been announced for the tournament, bringing several visual updates to the broadcast. Riot also unveiled MSI-themed merch and shared the lineup of their global partners for the event.