Riot Games announced a modernization to the
Global Revenue Pool (GRP) by removing funded prize pools in regional splits ahead of the 2026 esports season. These funds will be injected into “deeper, more impactful areas,”
according to an official update.
The publisher states that the payouts individual players received from regional split prize pools were comparatively small. The regions affected by this change are the LEC, LCS, and the LCK.
The LCP and CBLoL have different partnership models and will continue to share regional split prize pools. This financial decision will not impact prize pools funded by the GRP for participating in First Stand, the Mid-Season Invitational, and the World Championship.
Navigating towards financial security?
Reactions across the community were quick to follow. Arnold Hur, CEO of the current MSI champion GenG, shared a statement on Twitter to voice his opinion on the change: "It is unfortunate to see prize pools being removed from LCK."
This decision was first announced by the publisher at the LoL Showcase, before the 2025 World Championship Final. Riot Games believes this change better aligns with the global ecosystem’s maturity, “a commitment to evolving the way we invest in the sport”, and will help foster a more sustainable and exciting future for League of Legends esports.
How much money are teams losing?
Regional prize pools were awarded to teams that reached the playoffs in their respective leagues, with amounts determined by final competitive placement. In the LCK, the total prize pool for the 2025 season stood at ₩562,500,000 KRW (approximately $385,980 USD). In comparison, the LEC allocated €80,000 (around $93,000 USD) per split for its 2025 playoff prize pool.
This change does not impact Riot Games’ revenue-sharing system, which continues to provide teams with financial support for their participation in the league. Moreover, international prize pools, which are significantly larger, remain unaffected. The Worlds prize pool, set at $5,000,000 USD, will continue to be distributed among all participating teams.
