LoL: TraYtoN's SoloQ Challenge returns for third edition with 5 teams, 51 players, and a €10,000 prize

The French League of Legends scene’s favorite grindfest is back. After two successful editions, the SoloQ Challenge, organized by french streamer and G2 Esports co-caster Jean "TraYtoN" Medzadourian, returns for a third year, once again bringing together professional players, high-level challengers, and well-known streamers in a unique competition. Running from September 21 to October 12, the event spans just over twenty days—long enough for players to test their endurance on the ladder

Last year’s edition gathered 44 players, but this time the field is even larger, with 51 participants drafted into five new teams. To follow every twist and turn, a dedicated website has been built, allowing viewers to track standings almost in real time. Riot Games has also returned as the sponsor of the event, providing a €10,000 grand prize for the best overall SoloQ performer. Between the format changes, boosted prizes, and the addition of new challenges, SoloQ Challenge 3 promises to be the most intense and unpredictable edition yet for those craving for LoL entertainment before Worlds begin.

The competition is divided into two leaderboards. The first is the solo ranking, which measures the performance of each participant on their tournament account. All players begin on fresh accounts seeded in high Diamond and are required to follow a strict pace of play: no more than five games per day, up to forty-five per week. This rule, however, is lifted during the final twenty-four hours of the challenge, which often leads to a dramatic surge in games and decisive swings in the standings.

Cash prizes are distributed throughout the event, starting with €1,000 for the frontrunner after the first week, €1,500 for the leader at the end of the second week, and culminating with the €10,000 grand prize awarded to the final overall winner. In addition, the best player in each role will receive €500 at the end of the competition.

The second ranking is centered around teams and places greater emphasis on fun and community engagement. Unlike previous years with four squads, this edition features five lineups, each guided by a captain: Kamel "Kameto" Kebir, Valentin "Splinter" Ancelin, TraYtoN, César "Wakz" Hugues, and Adam "Adam" Maanane. A live draft held on September 21 determined the rosters, mixing professionals, streamers, and high-level challengers across the teams. Every bit of LP earned by individual players counts toward the total points of their team.

Beyond LP alone, this mode introduces fresh challenges such as best-of-three matches between the squads and playful mini-games like “Guess the League” between captains, ensuring the competition remains as entertaining as it is intense. The victorious team will be crowned at the end of the challenge, with each of its members receiving €500.

There are additional twists to the scoring system. LP only begins to count once a player has reached Master, and anyone finishing below that threshold will instead bring negative points to their team. Kameto, generally regarded as the most casual of the captains, given his streamer roots, follows a special set of rules. He was allowed to draft an extra teammate, but his own LP is not recorded in the same way as others. Instead, he received a unique objective: reaching 200 LP by the end of the challenge. Success brings his team fifty bonus points, while failure subtracts fifty.

This year’s talent pool stands out not only for its size but also for its variety. While fans will miss previous stars such as Steven "Hans Sama" Liv, Rudy "SkewMond" Semaan, Caliste "Caliste" Henry-Hennebert, and Raphaël "Targamas" Crabbé—all involved in the current Summer LEC Playoffs—the entry of new competitors adds an element of unpredictability. To appreciate the scale of the grind awaiting them, it is worth recalling that the top performers last year concluded the challenge somewhere between 1,300 and 1,500 LPs spread across just three weeks.

With a broader set of participants and higher cash incentives, the third edition of the SoloQ Challenge in France is shaping up to be the most demanding yet. Between the relentless pace of solo competition, the novelty of the team challenges, and the ever-present race to climb, the community once again has three weeks of high-stakes SoloQ drama to look forward to.