Riot Games has unveiled the lineup of teams that will take part in the League of Legends Championship Pacific (LCP), the newly formed regional league for Asia-Pacific.
The LCP combines teams from what were previously separate leagues for Japan, Taiwan, Vietnam and Oceania into one competition, with the teams selected by Riot Games based on a series of criteria.
The 2025 LCP line up will include four Partner teams: CTBC Flying Oyster, Fukuoka SoftBank HAWKS gaming, GAM Esports, and PSG Talon. In addition, four teams have received a temporary guest slot: Chiefs Esports Club, DetonatioN FocusMe, Team Whales, and Vikings Esports.
The teams were chosen based on a series of factors, including the teams’ competitive track record, legacy, fandom, as well as innovative visions for the future. The lineup will feature a total of three VCS, two PCS, two LJL, and one LCO team.
This follows the new hybrid partnership model introduced by Riot Games, which also includes a promotion and relegation system. Guest teams will have to defend their slots at the end of each season depending on their competitive performance against the highest-placed teams from domestic leagues within the Asia-Pacific ecosystem.
According to the new system, there will be also the chance to extend invitations beyond the existing domestic leagues, with teams potentially joining from Thailand, the Philippines, Indonesia, and Malaysia.
The 2025 season will be divided into a total of three splits, a method that is now being used throughout Riot Games’ major regions, including the LEC (EMEA), LCK (Korea), and the new Americas league.
In the LCP, the splits will be called the Season Kickoff, Mid-Season, and Season Finals with each split qualifying teams for a different international tournament. In the Season Finals, the teams will contest three qualification slots for Worlds 2025, which is set to return to China next year.
