Fri Jan 17 07:50:00 UTC 2025: ## LCK Cup 2025 Kicks Off New League of Legends Season with Innovative Format

**Seoul, South Korea** – The League of Legends Champions Korea (LCK) Cup 2025, a new tournament marking the start of the region’s three-split season, is set to begin on January 15th. This inaugural event will determine the LCK’s representative for the prestigious First Stand tournament.

Unlike previous seasons, the LCK Cup will feature a unique group stage format. Ten teams will be divided into two groups of five, competing in a best-of-three (BO3) round-robin against only the opposing group. This will be played using the innovative “Fearless Draft” mode, preventing champion repetition within a series.

Following the group stage (January 15th-February 2nd), the top three teams from the winning group advance directly to playoffs. The remaining two teams will then compete against the top four teams from the losing group in a three-day play-in stage (February 7th-9th) featuring a double-elimination bracket. The final play-in match will be a best-of-five (BO5).

The final six teams will then battle it out in a double-elimination playoff bracket (February 12th-23rd) to crown the LCK Cup champion and First Stand representative. All matches, except for the final play-in match, will be BO3.

The tournament will be streamed live on Twitch, YouTube, and AfreecaTV, with both Korean and English commentary available. Matches will begin at 8 AM GMT, from Wednesday to Sunday.

The off-season saw significant roster changes, most notably Zeus’ move from T1 to Hanwha Life Esports. While T1, Gen.G, and HLE are still considered favorites, the new Fearless Draft mode is expected to significantly impact team strategies and shake up the competition. The LCK Cup promises an exciting start to the 2025 season.

Read More