Riot Games Announces League of Legends Game Changers Tournament for Women in EMEA

Credit: Riot Games

Riot Games has officially announced League of Legends Game Changers (LGC), marking the first structured women’s League of Legends tournament circuit for the EMEA region.

The inaugural competition under this banner, LGC Rising, is set to begin in August 2025 and will wrap up with a live Grand Final during Paris Games Week in late October.

Following the positive reception and measurable success of VALORANT Game Changers, the developer is now applying the same framework to League of Legends. According to Riot, LGC Rising is the "first step" in building a long-term, meaningful competitive ecosystem for women in the region.

While the official announcement was made recently, the groundwork for this league has been in motion for some time. Back in January, reports had already hinted that Riot was working on a women-focused League of Legends circuit. The move also responds to years of demand from the community, especially those involved in grassroots events such as Germany’s Equal Esports Cup and France’s Coupe des Étoiles—both of which have consistently highlighted female talent in the scene.

Riot has emphasized that this isn’t just a standalone event, but the beginning of a broader movement. “We’ve seen what Game Changers can do in VALORANT — now we want to create the same kind of impact in League,” Riot said in a statement.

Interestingly, support for the initiative already appears strong within the professional community. Riot mentioned that several LEC organizations are backing the project, with teams like G2 Esports, SK Gaming, and Team Vitality already fielding all-women rosters.

LGC Rising will feature eight teams, selected through a mix of direct invites and qualifiers. Three teams will likely be invited based on their established presence in women’s League of Legends. Another three will earn spots through the Equal Esports Cup, and the final two will come from an open qualifier slated for early August.

The tournament format involves a two-group round-robin stage with best-of-one matches. The top three teams from each group will move on to a double-elimination playoff bracket, where the stakes rise with best-of-five series. Riot hasn’t yet confirmed whether the playoffs will feature the Fearless Draft system.

Though Riot has called LGC Rising a “pilot” event, the structure and visibility it offers point toward a long-term strategy. The company is taking a measured approach with the first edition but plans to expand alongside the evolving competitive landscape.