Riot Details Tier-1, Tier-2 Format for Americas League

LoL Americas League Tier-1 and Tier-2 details revealed. Credit: Riot Games

As reported in June, Riot Games will move the current leagues League Championship Series (LCS – North America), Campeonato Brasileiro de League of Legends (CBLoL – Brazil), and Liga Latinoamérica (LLA – Latin America) under the banner of a  new consolidated league called Americas League in 2025.

On Wednesday, Riot revealed further details on the structure of the league including the Tier-1 and Tier-2 ecosystems. While not providing much in the way of details on how Tier-1 teams have been selected for the 2025 season (this will be announced at a later date), the company said the following:

“Since the initial franchising, our partners have evolved significantly, adapting to the fiercely competitive and ever-changing esports landscape. Some have excelled, others have had to pivot and adapt to new challenges, and some have left us entirely. This evolution brings us to a pivotal moment where it is crucial to reassess and ensure that our team partners are aligned with our future direction. Through a comprehensive evaluation process, including strategic reviews, in-depth discussions with team executives, and an analysis of lessons learned in recent years, we’re committed to collaborating with teams that not only share our vision but also have the capabilities to achieve it. We plan to announce full details regarding the Tier 1 teams after the 2024 season concludes, setting the stage for a new era of competition in the Americas.”

The Tier-1 calendar in Americas League will feature three Splits played out across North and South Conferences. As we reported in June, Americas League North Conference will include North American LCS teams and Latin America North—teams from Liga Latinoamérica (LLA) that are closer to the United States. The North Conference will have a total of eight teams, with six existing teams from LCS; one team from LLA (northern LATAM), and one guest spot for a tier-2 guest team. Matches will be played out of the Riot Studios in Los Angeles.

Both conferences will “operate under identical formats and calendars,” according to Riot, with each conference hosting games from regional headquarters—the Riot Games Arena in Los Angeles for the North, and the CBLOL Arena in São Paulo for the South. Twice a year, the top teams from each conference will come together at special LAN events to compete for seeds in global tournaments.

Riot added that each split will have “its own identity and purpose, building anticipation and momentum throughout the year.” The first split will kick off with a tournament designed to introduce teams to fans in the region, which will culminate in the first cross-conference showdown between the top teams from both conferences– it will also utilize the Full Fearless Draft format (check out this article for a decent definition).

The second split will follow a more traditional format, with matches taking place within each conference. Ultimately, the top teams from both the North and South conferences will earn a slot at the Mid-Season Invitational. Split 2 will end with a final LAN event where the top teams will compete for three spots at Worlds. Top-performing teams from both the North and South conferences will earn one slot each, while the “third and final slot will be up for grabs.” The season will conclude with a Regional Championship roadshow.

Tier 2

With changes to the number of Tier-1 teams in the new Americas League, Riot laid out how Tier-2 teams will be plugged into the new ecosystem.

The Americas Tier 2 system will support two conferences (each with two leagues)” North (NACL & LRN) and South (CBLOL Academy & LRS). Tier 2 leagues will use a two-split format that runs in tandem with Tier 1 teams’ Split 2 and Split 3. Tier-2 teams will be able to qualify “through performance, with promotion and relegation,” according to Riot. All Tier-2 leagues will use the Full Fearless format for Split 1.

 North America and Brazil will continue with their existing Tier-2 leagues (NACL and CBLOL Academy), running their seasons with two splits each. Latin America will restructure existing Tier 2 qualifiers to turn them into fully fledged Tier 2 leagues with additional support; LRN(Liga Regional Norte) will feature teams from Latin America North, including Mexico, Central America, the Caribbean, and Colombia; while LRS(Liga Regional Sur) will consist of teams from Latin America South, including Ecuador, Peru, Bolivia, Chile, Paraguay, Argentina, and Uruguay.

 At the end of the competitive season, the Tier-1 Promotion Tournament will host cross-tier matchups, where the top two Tier-2 teams from each regional league and the Guest Team from each Tier-1 Conference will battle for the Guest slot in the upcoming season(in this case 2026), for a total of five teams participating per promotion tournament.

 The full schedule for Tier-2 will be released at a later date—likely after the completion of Worlds.

As was reported in June, the new Tier 1 Promotion Tournament system is meant to provide a way for Tier-2 teams to play in the big leagues, but the spot isn’t promised, and must be defended at the end of each season. The defending T1 Guest Slot team will have an advantage in the bracket but must still compete to re-earn their

 spot, according to Riot. Each promotion bracket will feature the top 2 teams from each respective Tier 2 league, in an attempt to maintain fair regional representation.

 Teams promoted to Tier 1 will adopt a business model similar to that of partner teams in both Tier 1 conferences—they will have the opportunity to qualify for international events, including Worlds.

Finally, Riot offered some details on amateur/Tier 3 integration, which includes Tier 1 sister teams and collegiate teams. According to Riot:

“As we develop our Tier 2 ecosystem, it’s important to keep these teams involved. However, these teams also bring specific challenges, especially with the introduction of a Tier 1 Promotion system. We want to find a way to allow these teams to participate in Tier 2, but it may be in a limited capacity. We will share more information later this year.”