LPL Regional Finals

LPL Regional Finals

Overview

The LPL Regional Finals (also known as the Worlds Championship - LPL Regional Qualifier) is an annual League of Legends tournament series organized by TJ Sports that determines the final LPL (League of Legends Pro League) teams qualifying for the League of Legends World Championship. It serves as a high-stakes qualifier for the third and fourth seeds from the Chinese region after the Split 3 (or formerly Summer Split) champion and the top Championship Points accumulator secure automatic berths.

TJ Sports, a joint venture between Tencent and Riot Games established in 2019 (building on earlier Tencent Games operations of the LPL since 2013), operates the series as part of the broader LPL ecosystem. The event is classified as an A-Tier tournament on Liquipedia and holds significant prestige due to its direct impact on Worlds representation for one of the strongest regions in League of Legends esports. It is typically held offline in various Chinese cities shortly after the conclusion of the LPL's final split of the year. Official organizer website: https://www.tjsports.com/.

The series has no substantial monetary prize pool in recent editions; the primary rewards are qualification slots to the World Championship (Swiss Stage or Play-In depending on seeding and format year).

History

The LPL Regional Finals began in 2014 as a means to fill remaining Worlds qualification spots for the Chinese region. Early editions featured 3 to 5 teams and varied formats, evolving into a standardized four-team double-elimination bracket by the late 2010s. It has been held annually since inception, adapting to changes in the LPL calendar.

Key evolutions include the shift from a two-split (Spring/Summer) system to a three-split structure starting in 2025, with qualification based on Split 3 results and cumulative Championship Points. Prior to TJ Sports' full involvement, Tencent Games handled operations. Format consistency improved over time, with side selection privileges based on points ranking becoming standard. The event has rotated venues across China, reflecting the LPL's roadshow model in recent years. The 2026 edition is scheduled for September 17–19 as the latest iteration.

Format

In the current format (as of 2025–2026), up to four teams with the highest Championship Points—excluding the LPL Split 3 champion (1st seed) and the overall highest points team (2nd seed)—compete. Ties are broken by Split 3 performance. The two higher-ranked teams start in the Upper Bracket; the others in the Lower Bracket. All matches are best-of-five (Bo5). The Upper Bracket winner qualifies as the 3rd seed (typically Swiss Stage), and the Lower Bracket winner as the 4th seed (Swiss or Play-In depending on the year). Side choice privilege is granted to higher-points teams in early matches (coin toss for Lower Bracket Final).

The tournament usually spans three days offline. Earlier years occasionally featured three or five teams and simpler single-elimination or modified brackets.

Notable Editions

The 2025 edition (September 25–27 in Shenzhen at the Shenzhen LongGang BuJi Cultural & Sports Center) saw Top Esports defeat Invictus Gaming to claim the Upper Bracket spot, with Invictus Gaming securing the Lower Bracket qualification over JD Gaming. It marked IG's return to Worlds since 2019 and ranked among the top viewership events in LPL history for Regional Finals.

The 2024 edition (August 31–September 2 in Nanjing at Nanjing Youth Olympic Sports Park Arena) featured LNG Esports winning the Upper Bracket over Weibo Gaming, who took the Lower Bracket. It achieved a peak of approximately 238,756 concurrent viewers, one of the highest for the series.

In 2022 (September 2–4 in Shanghai), EDward Gaming (defending Worlds champions from 2021) qualified via the Upper Bracket, with Royal Never Give Up taking the second spot. The 2020 edition produced Suning as a surprise qualifier that went on to reach the Worlds final. LNG Esports won consecutive titles in 2023 and 2024. Early standout editions include 2018 and multiple EDG victories in the mid-2010s that helped establish Chinese dominance.

The 2026 edition (September 17–19, offline in China) is upcoming or recently started as of the latest data, with participants to be determined by Split 3 and Championship Points.

Past Champions

Winners (Upper Bracket / primary qualifier) and runners-up (Lower Bracket qualifier) by year, based on Liquipedia records (prize pools typically qualification-only; locations in China):

• 2026: TBD (Sep 17–19; upcoming) vs TBD
• 2025: Top Esports vs Invictus Gaming (Sep 25–27, Shenzhen)
• 2024: LNG Esports vs Weibo Gaming (Aug 31–Sep 2, Nanjing; 4 teams)
• 2023: LNG Esports vs Weibo Gaming (Aug 6–8, Xi'an; 4 teams)
• 2022: EDward Gaming vs Royal Never Give Up (Sep 2–4, Shanghai; 4 teams)
• 2021: Royal Never Give Up vs LNG Esports (Sep 3–5, Hangzhou; 4 teams)
• 2020: Suning vs LGD Gaming (Aug 28–30, Shanghai; 4 teams)
• 2019: Invictus Gaming vs Top Esports (Sep 7–8, Shanghai; 3 teams)
• 2018: EDward Gaming vs Rogue Warriors (Sep 15–16, Shanghai; 3 teams)
• 2017: Team WE vs Invictus Gaming (Sep 2–3, Shanghai; 4 teams)
• 2016: I May vs Team WE (Aug 27–28, Guangzhou; 4 teams)
• 2015: EDward Gaming vs Invictus Gaming (Sep 4–5, Shenzhen; 4 teams)
• 2014: EDward Gaming vs Star Horn Royal Club (Sep 6–7, Shanghai; 5 teams)

Notable storylines include EDG's multiple early wins, Suning's 2020 Cinderella run to the Worlds final, and LNG's back-to-back successes amid shifting LPL power dynamics. IG's 2025 qualification ended a long absence.

Viewership & Impact

The LPL Regional Finals consistently draw strong audiences as the final domestic gatekeeper to Worlds, often ranking among the top LPL events annually despite its short duration. Viewership (primarily international platforms tracked by Esports Charts; Chinese domestic figures higher via Huya and others) includes:

• 2025: Peak 214,790 (Lower Bracket Final IG vs JDG); average ~115,839; ~1.35 million hours watched. Ranked 3rd among Regional Finals historically and 9th overall in LPL events.
• 2024: Peak 238,756; ~1.36 million hours watched.
• 2023: Peak 206,701; ~1.21 million hours watched.
• 2022: Peak 227,792; ~1.45 million hours watched.

Broadcast partners include primary Chinese platforms (Huya, Bilibili, and others under TJ Sports deals) and English-language coverage via co-streams or fan projects such as Twitch (twitch.tv/lplenglish) and YouTube (@LPL_English or official LPL channels). Official English production shifted toward co-streaming models in recent years. Sponsors have included Mercedes-Benz, Intel, OPPO, JD.com, and others.

Culturally, the series is vital in the LPL's high-pressure ecosystem, often deciding the fate of storied organizations and producing memorable underdog stories. It underscores China's depth in League of Legends, with qualifiers frequently contending deep into Worlds (e.g., multiple finals appearances). As an A-Tier event tied to an S-Tier league, it amplifies the LPL's global influence and fan engagement during the pre-Worlds period.