MSI 2025 Primer

The 2025 League of Legends Mid-Season Invitational is here—bringing together the five regions to battle for glory, pride, and a critical edge heading into Worlds. As the second international showdown on the LoL Esports calendar, MSI pits two representatives from each regional league against one another in a high-stakes clash that tests their mettle at the season’s halfway mark. More than just a trophy is on the line: the winning team and the next best-performing region will earn extra slots at the World Championship, raising the stakes even higher. This year, the action unfolds beginning June 27 at the iconic Pacific Coliseum in Vancouver, Canada. Get ready for rivalries, redemption arcs, and unforgettable plays as pros will be challenged to Ignite The Fire Within.

The Official Rules of the 2025 Mid-Season Invitational can be found here.

Here’s everything you need to know!

MSI 2025: IGNITE THE FIRE WITHIN

MSI has two stages: the Play-In Stage (June 27-29) and the Bracket Stage (July 1-5, July 7-12). If you’re joining us in person at the event, please check out the Riot Games event policy.

Play-In Stage (All matches begin at 5 p.m. PDT / 2 a.m. CEST +1 / 8 a.m. CST +1 unless otherwise noted)

• Friday, June 27 - 12 p.m. PDT / 9 p.m. CEST / 3 a.m. June 28 CST
• Saturday, June 28 - 12 p.m. PDT / 9 p.m. CEST / 3 a.m. June 29 CST
• Sunday, June 29

Bracket Stage (All matches begin at 5 p.m. PDT / 2 a.m. CEST +1 / 8 a.m. CST +1 unless otherwise noted)

• Tuesday, July 1
• Wednesday, July 2
• Thursday, July 3 - 12 p.m. PDT / 9 p.m. CEST / 3 a.m. July 4 CST
• Friday, July 4 - 12 p.m. PDT / 9 p.m. CEST / 3 a.m. July 5 CST
• Saturday, July 5 - 12 p.m. PDT / 9 p.m. CEST / 3 a.m. July 6 CST
• Monday, July 7
• Tuesday, July 8
• Wednesday, July 9 (UPPER FINALS)
• Thursday, July 10
• Friday, July 11 (LOWER FINALS)
• Saturday, July 12 (GRAND FINALS)

QUALIFIED TEAMS

This year, the teams competing from each of the different regions are:

CHINA – LPL

Anyone’s Legend (AL)

Bilibili Gaming (BLG)

KOREA – LCK

Gen.G (GEN)

T1 (T1)

EUROPE – LEC

Movistar KOI (MKOI)

G2 Esports (G2)

AMERICAS - LTA

FlyQuest (FLY)

FURIA (FUR)

ASIA PACIFIC – LCP

CTBC Flying Oyster (CFO)

GAM Esports (GAM)

FORMAT

Bracket Stage Draw Explainer

Once the Play-In Stage is complete, attention then turns to the Bracket Stage. The Bracket Stage teams will be matched based on draw tiers, based on FST results, and teams from the same region must be placed on opposite sides of the bracket. The draw tiers are:

• Tier 1: LCK1, LEC1

• Tier 2: LCP1, LPL1

• Tier 3: LTA1, LCK2

• Tier 4: Play-Ins Teams (2 teams)

These constraints lock in several matchups automatically, reducing the number of potential draw outcomes. Out of the six possible combinations of teams advancing from Play-Ins, four of those require no draw, and the remaining two only need a single placement decision to finalize the bracket.

Confirmed Placement

Since LCK1 and LCK2 cannot be placed on the same side of the bracket, LCK1 and LTA1 are locked on one side of the bracket, and LEC1 and LCK2 are locked on the other side, as highlighted in red in the picture above. These remain the same across all six possible outcomes.

SCENARIO 1: LEC2 and LTA2 Advance (single draw required)

Several placements are determined by regional restrictions:

• LEC2 must play LCK1 to avoid LEC1.

• LTA2 must play LEC1 to avoid being on the same side as LTA1.

This leaves two matchups unassigned:

• LPL1 and LCP1 can go to either side, facing LTA1 or LCK2.

• A single draw determines one of those teams’ positions, and the rest fill in automatically.

SCENARIO 2: LCP2 and LPL2 Advance (single draw required)

A draw is needed to place one Tier 4 team—whichever is drawn will face LCK1. From that one choice, all other matchups cascade by rule to avoid potential second round same-region matchups. For example:

• If LPL2 is drawn first, it faces LCK1.

• Then, LCP2 plays LEC1, and the rest of the bracket locks in.

SCENARIO 3: LEC2 and LPL2 Advance (no draw required)

This outcome immediately determines all placements based on the rules above:

• LEC2 cannot face LEC1, so it must play LCK1.

• This forces LEC1 to face LPL2.

• To avoid potential same-region matchups in the second round, LPL1 must face LTA1.

• The last available match is LCP1 vs LCK2.

SCENARIO 4: LEC2 and LCP2 Advance (no draw required)

This outcome immediately determines all placements based on the rules above:

• LEC2 cannot face LEC1, so it must play LCK1.

• This forces LEC1 to face LCP2.

• To avoid potential same-region matchups in the second round, LCP1 must face LTA1.

• The last available match is LPL1 vs LCK2.

SCENARIO 5: LTA2 and LCP2 Advance (no draw required)

This outcome also falls perfectly into place by rule:

• LTA2 cannot be on the same side as LTA1, so it must play LEC1.

• This forces LCP2 to play LCK1.

• LCP1 must be placed with LCK2 to avoid a potential same-region matchup.

• The final matchup is LPL1 vs LTA1.

SCENARIO 6: LTA2 and LPL2 Advance (no draw required)

This outcome also falls perfectly into place by rule:

• LTA2 cannot be on the same side as LTA1, so it must play LEC1.

• This forces LPL2 to play LCK1.

• LPL1 must be placed with LCK2 to avoid a potential same-region matchup.

• The final matchup is LCP1 vs LTA1.

Each scenario keeps the draw process efficient and easy to follow. When a draw is needed, only a single decision is required—ensuring a smooth transition into the Bracket Stage.

DROPS

This year’s MSI Drops lineup is packed with five brand-new emotes, each bringing its own flavor from Spirit Blossom elegance to pure memes. But that’s not all, 2025 Esports Capsules are also on the line. These will drop live whenever we witness a Pentakill, Baron steal, Dragon steal, Atakhan steal, or the legendary Silver Scrapes moment (when a best-of-five series goes the distance). Coinbase is joining the action by dropping Hextech Chests with Keys and offering fans a chance to enter a Sweepstakes for two tickets to Worlds 2025 in China. Also, to add to the fun, Secretlab is releasing an exclusive chair discount code—don’t miss it! You’ll want to tune in live because each reward is tied to a specific moment or matchday. Here’s what’s dropping:

Opening Day - “I Didn’t Start The Fire!” Emote

Milio LIKELY started the fire. Or maybe his little buddy did. Either way, this emote captures the exact face you make when your teamfight goes horribly wrong. Dropping Day 1 of MSI.

Start of Bracket Stage - “Casual Flex” Emote

Ashe channels her True Ice energy in this confident, cool-headed flex. It’s the perfect way to say “I carried” without actually saying it. Can you guess the inspiration?

Upper Bracket Finals - “Always Hip” Emote

It’s not just her magic that turns heads—Aurora’s hat game is impeccable. This emote is perfect for when you pull off a big play and you look good doing it.

Final Day of Bracket Stage - “ONWARD!” Emote

Spirit Blossom Kindred makes a majestic entrance riding Wolf–reminiscent of some kind of NeverEnding Story…

Finals Day - “POWER PLAY!” Emote

When it’s game time in Vancouver, Jax brings more than just counter-strikes, he brings slapshots. Whether you’re up in kills or holding the man advantage, this emote brings playoff energy.

Finals Day - “All Wrapped Up” Emote

Cassiopeia has Teemo in a bit of a bind, literally. Coiled up in Spirit Blossom style, this emote lands somewhere between adorable and “he should probably run.”

Finals Day - “FED.” Emote

Spirit Blossom Sett is deep into a steaming bowl of ramen, looking like he’s just carried a game and earned every bite. It’s the perfect reward for players who FEAST in lane.

To earn these exclusive MSI 2025 rewards, make sure you’re watching every match LIVE on LoLEsports.com while logged in with your Riot ID.

TWITCH SUBSCRIPTIONS

Twitch Subs are back for MSI! All Twitch subscribers to the LoL Esports channels enjoy benefits like custom chat emotes, badges, ad-free viewing, and recognition during live broadcasts. As a reminder, Riot will allocate a portion of the proceeds to the Global Revenue Pool, which directly supports leagues and teams in the LoL Esports ecosystem.

Subscription Perks

Subscribing to LoL Esports Twitch channels unlocks a variety of benefits, including:

• Ad-free Viewing: Enjoy uninterrupted broadcasts.

• Event-Exclusive Twitch Chat Emotes: Showcase your fandom in chat with unique emotes.

• Twitch Channel Badges: Display loyalty with special subscriber badges.

• Channel Points: Earn and redeem points for fun interactions.

• Subscriber-Only Chat: Participate in exclusive discussions.

Additional Benefits for Paid and Gifted Subscribers

“Not Like This” In-Game Emote: Fans who subscribe to our esports channels using a paid or gifted sub* on Twitch will receive a new Hwei in-game emote after claiming the reward in their Twitch inventory. To qualify for the in-game reward:

• Connect your Twitch and Riot accounts.

• Subscribe to a participating channel with a paid or gifted sub.

• Claim the reward from your Twitch inventory.

Event Chat Badge: New to MSI, paid and gifted subs* receive an event exclusive global chat badge to add to their collection.

*Note: Prime subscriptions are not eligible for these rewards (in-game emote, event badge).

Participating Channels Broadcasting MSI

• https://www.twitch.tv/riotgames

• https://www.twitch.tv/leagueoflegendsjp

• https://www.twitch.tv/leagueoflegendsth

• https://www.twitch.tv/lolesportstw

• https://www.twitch.tv/ltaespanol

• https://www.twitch.tv/LTASul

MSI PICK'EMS 2025

Pick’Ems powered by AWS is back, and for the first time ever, it’s coming to MSl. Whether you’re a seasoned analyst or just want to back your favorite teams, Pick’Ems lets fans around the world predict the outcomes of MSI and earn exclusive in-game rewards. Here’s everything you need to know to get started.

Phase 1: Play-Ins

This year’s MSI kicks off with the Play-Ins phase featuring 4 teams. Your job is to predict how the group will play out:

• 1st Place (2-0) - Advances

• 2nd Place (2-1) - Advances

• 3rd Place (1-2) - Eliminated

• 4th Place (0-2) - Eliminated

Drag and drop the teams into the slots where you think they’ll finish. You’ll earn points for picking which teams advance, and even more if you get their exact placement right. The deadline for making Play-Ins picks is before the first match on June 27.

Phase 2: Bracket Stage

After Play-Ins, Pick’Ems opens again for Bracket Stage, an 8-team double elimination bracket. This time, you’ll make all your bracket picks at once just like at Worlds or Valorant Champions. Predict each round’s winners and losers, all the way to the Grand Final. The deadline for making Bracket picks is before the first Bracket match on July 1.

Pick’Ems Rewards

You can go all-in with Perfect Picks or randomly select teams based on how cool their logo is. However you play, there’s loot waiting for you at every level of performance. And since rewards stack, the higher you climb the more you’ll take home. Here’s what you can earn:

Participation

• Play-Ins - Mundo & Gnar “SELLIING” Emote

• Playoffs - 1x Esports Capsule

B-Tier (Top 50%) - Get 1x Capsule + Teemo “My Special Gift” Emote + Participation rewards.

A-Tier (Top 25%) - Get 1x Capsule + Yi “Shady” Emote + everything from B-Tier and Participation.

Top 2,500 Finishers - Receive the Spirit Blossom Hwei skin, Hwei champion unlock, 1x Capsule, and all lower-tier emotes.

Perfect Picks - Earn ALL Ultimate skins and everything included in the previous tiers!

MSI Pick’Ems is your first shot in 2025 to flex your fandom, knowledge, and earn epic loot. Start researching and make those Picks!

MSI 2025 CO-STREAMING

As League of Legends Esports continues to expand its co-streaming initiatives, MSI 2025 is set to feature the largest co-streaming roster in the tournament’s history. For MSI, the Co-Streamer Hub powered by Opera GX will attract more than 75 co-streamers to participate, offering fans around the world new and diverse ways to engage with the event through an interactive directory of co-streamer channels across a wide range of languages and viewing styles. In keeping with the approach used for past international events, the MSI 2025 co-streaming program remains invite-only, spotlighting a number of community creators who have been actively covering regional leagues throughout the year. This approach brings familiar faces to the global stage and gives fans the chance to experience the tournament alongside their favorite personalities in one centralized location that’s easy to search and navigate.

Additionally, all teams that qualify for MSI 2025 are invited to co-stream the entire event and are encouraged to collaborate with officially affiliated content creators. We’ll unveil the full lineup of remote co-streamers on June 19, with on-site co-streamers to be announced closer to the final week of the tournament.

For all other content creators, the standard Content Creator Guidelines remain in effect.

MSI 2025 HUD

This year's MSI event will feature the continued iterations of our broadcast Heads Up Display (HUD) for Global League of Legends events. We've reorganized the match information and major objectives to the top center of the screen for fans to keep track of the action whether they join at minute-1 or minute-23. Additionally, we've relocated the pro-player POV cameras, and adjusted the hierarchy and visual clarity at the bottom of the screen. Overall, we believe this design consolidates the sport information and action for our hardcore fans and regular LoL Esports viewers, while opening the door for new players to embark on their journey to fandom on whichever device they choose. We’ll continue to monitor fan feedback closely as we refine and evolve the HUD experience moving forward.

GLOBAL POWER RANKINGS POWERED BY AWS

Global Power Rankings powered by AWS return for MSI, with daily updates rolling out after each matchday. The model tracks results from across the tournament to dynamically adjust team standings, giving fans a fresh look at the global landscape every day.

As the final three MSI matches play out, “Highlights” will be updated with new teams taking superlative titles based on their MSI performance including:

• Biggest Mover – The team with the most significant rank change from start to finish of MSI

• Biggest Upset – That squad that blew our minds with an incredible win over a higher ranked team

• Ignite the Fire Within – Celebrating the MSI winner or a new number 1-ranked team

MSI 2025 SKIN PROMOTIONS

For MSI 2025, Spirit Blossom Hwei has been selected as the official LoL Esports revenue-share champion and skin. Fans can support their favorite teams by purchasing the Spirit Blossom Hwei Skin (1350 RP), the Border Set Bundle (2340 RP), or the Chroma Bundle (4110 RP), with individual Spirit Blossom Hwei Chromas also available for 290 RP each.

Once a champion is crowned, we’ll release celebratory MSI Winner accessories, including an MSI Winner Icon (250 RP) and an MSI Winner Emote (350 RP), continuing the tradition of honoring the tournament victors. A portion of proceeds from all Spirit Blossom Hwei and MSI Winner offerings will be shared with LoL Esports teams competing in 2025, reinforcing our commitment to supporting the competitive ecosystem.

International Tournament Skin Promotion

From July 14 to July 22, we’re giving players the chance to grab the same skins used by the winning team during the Finals at a major discount! Choose from role-specific bundles at 50% off, with dynamic pricing that adjusts based on what you already own, or pick up individual skins at 33% off.

Please note: Ultimate, Mythic Variant, Exalted, and Transcendent skins are not included in this promotion. If one of these is used during the Finals, it’ll be replaced with a comparable eligible skin.

MSI 2025 MERCHANDISE

Fans can celebrate their favorite teams and pros with the MSI 2025 apparel capsule, a collection that captures the spirit of this year’s theme, “Ignite the Fire Within,” and draws inspiration from the stunning host city of Vancouver. The lineup features bold, premium apparel in signature MSI red and black, embodying the energy of the event. For those who can’t make it to MSI in person, select pieces from the collection will be available online starting June 19 for a limited time. Availability may vary by region. All on-site apparel is proudly 100% Made in Canada.

• NA/EU: merch.riotgames.com 

• KR: riot-store.co.kr

• CN: https://leagueoflegends.tmall.com, https://v.douyin.com/ijPwQMdt/ 

MSI TAILGATE

If you’re attending MSI in person, make sure to stop by the MSI Tailgate before the matches on July 10-12! The MSI Tailgate is open to the public and does not require a ticket to match days.

Riot Activations

Riftbound

Be among the first North American players to try out Riftbound, the League of Legends Trading Card Game! Inspired by your favorite League champions and locales, this collectable TCG will be featured at MSI and the demo events are open to the public without an event ticket. This opportunity to check out our latest Trial Decks will have limited availability, and while you can’t take these Trial Decks home with you, we’ll have another fun promotional reward for those who dare to demo Riftbound. Until then, stay tuned on our social channels for sign-up announcements!

LoL Devs Meet & Greet

Swing by before the games to connect IRL with the folks who bring League of Legends to life. Share your League story, or just let them know what champ is most deserving of a buff, and don’t forget to grab your free collector’s Spirit Blossom Beyond poster illustrated by North American artist, Dave Rapoza.

Cosplayers

We’re excited to host some amazing cosplayers to join in the Wyldbloom festivities! Get your picture taken with Yunara by @dear.chuu, Spirit Blossom Hwei by @futaricosplay, Spirit Blossom Nidalee by @zephye_cosplay, Spirit Blossom Ashe @kyasarin.cosplay, and Spirit Blossom Lux by @hai_yun2 at the MSI Tailgate, and don’t forget to tag @lolesports!

Spirit Blossom Morgana Inflatable

Spirit Blossom Morgana arrives alongside the Wyldbloom and Akana spirits at MSI Vancouver from July 10-12! Standing at over 20ft / 6m tall, you can find her looming outside of the Pacific Coliseum.

Global Partner Activations

OMEN & HyperX

Our official partners of LOL Esports, OMEN & HyperX, invite you to swing by the Graffiti Wall—located right behind the ticketing box and just across from the towering Morgana inflatable. Don’t forget to leave your mark on the wall and snap a pic with giant Morgana for the perfect pre-event memory.

Coinbase

Smite the Baron with Coinbase x League of Legends at the MSI Tailgate! Step up to our giant Baron pit and time your strike to land a perfect 900/900 Smite. Your precision unlocks exclusive collectibles. Plus, stop by to learn about how to enter for a chance to win the ultimate fan experience.

Red Bull

Test your strength at the Red Bull High Striker booth. Swing the hammer and see if you can score high enough to destroy the Nexus and secure the W. Summoners just need to hit hard enough to reach the Red Bull logo to prove their power.

SecretLab

Secretlab returns as the Official Chair Partner of MSI 2025, backing the best players on stage with championship-grade performance gaming seats. Visit the Secretlab booth to experience them in person, and score an exclusive discount code for online purchases. Participate in their booth activity for a chance to win tickets to the MSI 2025 Finals and a “Tilted” Poro Enamel Pin. Plus, don’t miss the chance to meet and greet your favorite personalities – stay tuned to Secretlab’s socials for more details!

A huge thank you to our roster of global partners supporting MSI 2025! This year world-class brands AWS, HyperX, Cisco, Mastercard, Esports World Cup, Mercedes-Benz, OMEN, Opera GX, OPPO, Secretlab, Red Bull, Verizon, and our newest partner Coinbase have come together to bring next level experiences and enhancements to LoL Esports fans. Whether you’re taking in the action in person or viewing from afar, our partners are instrumental in delivering new tech innovations, product features, rewards, merch, and more to our events.

If you’re traveling to Vancouver to catch MSI 2025, get ready to step into a city that’s equal parts coastal rainforest and urban playground. Surrounded by ocean, mountains, and forest, it’s where nature and city go hand in hand—and there’s plenty to explore. Ride the rollercoasters at Playland (just steps from the Pacific Coliseum), or lift off on FlyOver, a 4D ride that takes you across the country without leaving downtown. You might even recognize parts of the city from your favourite movies and shows, since Vancouver is a longtime go-to for Hollywood productions. Whether you’re into chasing mountain views, discovering local eats, or getting lost in unique neighbourhoods, the city has something for every kind of adventure. For more trip planning inspiration, visit destinationvancouver.com, and check out stayvancouverhotels.com for exclusive accommodation offers.