The KeSPA Cup 2025, an low season Korean League of Legends event organised by Korea’s esports governing physique (KeSPA), will function two LCS groups for the primary time ever.
North American organisations Staff Liquid and Cloud9 will be part of the competitors, which is ready to happen from December sixth to December 14th.
On prime of Staff Liquid and Cloud9, the KeSPA Cup options all 10 groups from the LCK, in addition to two all-star rosters from Japan and Vietnam. The 4 groups can be competing for its 100m KRW (~£51,900) prize pool, which has elevated by 20m in comparison with its 2024 version.
Notably, the occasion can be broadcast completely on Disney+ and is sponsored by peripheral model Logitech G. Concerning the printed exclusivity, the discharge didn’t state whether it is for world broadcasts or simply in Korea.
The 2025 KeSPA Cup’s Revamped Format
With two further groups, the 14 groups can be cut up into three completely different teams, every taking part in single-game round-robin matches. All matches can be best-of-one.
The primary-place staff from every group will advance on to the semifinals, whereas the second-place groups can be positioned within the Breakout Stage. These groups will play a best-of-three sequence in a spherical robin to find out which organisation advances to the Knockout stage.
The highest 4 can be positioned in a double-elimination bracket with a best-of-three sequence within the first two rounds and a best-of-five within the grand last. The Group and Breakout stage can be held on-line from December sixth to December ninth, with the Knockout stage going offline on the Sangam Forest Colosseum from December eleventh to December 14th.
Staff Liquid and Cloud9 To Take a look at Out New Rosters
Though Staff Liquid and Cloud9 have but to unveil their respective rosters for the 2026 marketing campaign, each groups have made modifications to their lineups within the offseason.
Korean mid laner Lee ‘Loki’ Sang-min has parted methods with C9 as a result of private causes, and Staff Liquid has bid farewell to each Eain ‘APA’ Stearns and Jeong ‘Affect’ Eon-young. As has been the case in earlier KeSPA cups, nonetheless, groups would possibly discipline weakened rosters provided that the event takes place through the free company switch interval.
Following the official announcement by KeSPA, Cloud9 Common Supervisor David Han made a submit on X explaining how each organisations ended up becoming a member of the competitors.
“Final 12 months, I used to be watching the KeSPA Cup and thought, ‘wow, it could be so cool if we might attend and provides our followers one thing to observe through the offseason,” he mentioned.
“Traditionally, Western groups might by no means safe an invite or navigate the logistics, however I needed to see if we might change that. I wasn’t even certain till final month that we might be capable to attend, however fortunately… we’re in!”
