Imagine you’re at a game-changing esports tournament. The crowd is cheering, and the stakes are high. This scenario is what the League of Legends community experienced recently.
Caco Antunes, leader of LoL esports in the Americas, dropped a video discussing the first split of the League of The Americas (LTA) and upcoming changes for the rest of 2025. It’s like a coach calling a timeout to regroup and adjust the game plan.
Mark Zimmerman, LTA commissioner, already hinted at possible changes in an interview with PIchau Arena. He suggested the last tournament’s format might have been too aggressive. Antunes, Zimmerman, and Igor Corrêa all signaled that changes were on the way.
What Went Wrong in the First Split
The first split didn’t meet fan expectations, according to Antunes. Riot Games acknowledges the feedback and agrees the format was too short, and communication fell short. It’s like trying to build a PC with too many new parts at once – it can get messy.
The team tried to introduce many new things at the same time, which didn’t yield good results. Antunes promises the organization will improve and rethink for the 2026 split.
Changes Coming in 2025
To meet expectations, the second split will have three stages: positioning, group, and playoffs. The first phase will be shorter and rank teams for the next challenge. Then, teams will face off in a best-of-three group stage. The top two teams in each group will compete for seeds in the playoffs, while the bottom teams will fight for a spot in the competition.
The six best teams will earn a spot in the playoffs. All matches will be best-of-five, and only the champion will qualify for the Mid-Season Invitational (MSI) and the Esports World Cup (EWC).
For the third split, the changes are less dramatic. All elimination series will be best-of-five, making the format more exciting and giving teams a chance to compete in longer matches.
International Bootcamp
Antunes also announced a bootcamp in Canada (host of MSI 2025) for Southern teams. Four teams, including the one already qualified for the international tournament, will have the chance to improve competitively. It’s like a team retreat to focus on strategy and teamwork.