Introducing League of Legends Game Changers: the LoL women competition

Riot Games has unveiled the new official women’s EMEA competition, the League of Legends Game Changers (LGC), as it looks to build a stronger competitive ecosystem for women in the region.

League of Legends Game Changers – drawing inspiration from VALORANT

The new competition, LGC Rising, will continue to support and grow the esports scene for women in League of Legends, alongside other women-focused tournaments such as Equal Esports Cup (EEC) and the Coupe des Étoiles (CdE). Taking inspiration from sister game VALORANT, Riot has stated it will start off with compact formats and look to scale up the events year on year.

The first edition of the LGC, although still to be finalized, is set to begin in August with online play, with a live Grand Final at Paris Games Week, which is set to take place at the end of October. Riot explained they are taking a “cautious approach” to ensure the competition is sustainable from the start, thus the decision to play online for the large majority of the event.

LGC Rising will have a combination of direct invites and open competitions to all individuals who identify as women. According to a release, three roster active in the space, particularly affiliated with the LEC organizations, will receive direct invites. Moreover, the three finalists from the EEC will be given slots based on their previous performances. Currently, the three esports organizations with female rosters that compete in the EEC are G2 Hel, which is also competing in the Spanish tier two scene, as well as SK Avarosa and Vitality Rising Bees. Team BDS and MAD Lions KOI had previously fielded a women’s team in 2024, but both disbanded at the end of the season.

League of Legends Game Changers Format & Schedule

The LGC Rising will start with eight teams split into two groups, each playing a single round robin of best-of-one. The top three teams from each group will advance to the Playoffs, where the six teams will be placed into a double-elimination bracket of best-of-five series.

While the initial date is still to be confirmed, the schedule is as follows:

• Open Qualifier: August (Starting date TBC)
• Group Stage: September 13–14, 20–21, 27–29
• Playoffs: October 10–12 and 14–15
• Grand Final: October 30, live on stage at Paris Games Week