LEC Winter 2025: Upsets, Comebacks, and a New Champion

LEC (League of Legends EMEA Championship), the league that brings together teams from Europe, Turkey, the CIS, the Middle East, and North Africa, has concluded the LEC Winter 2025 championship. This tournament determined the representative for the first championship – First Stand.

This tournament was crucial for every participating team, making the matches thrilling and the teams' preparation worthy of a championship-level event. Now, let's look back at how it all unfolded and find out who earned the spot as LEC's representative at First Stand.

The tournament was divided into two stages, with the first stage being the Regular Season. It was played in a Single Round Robin format, meaning each team faced every other team once. Each match was a Best-of-One (Bo1) showdown, adding an element of unpredictability with no chance for a comeback. Based on the Regular Season results, the top eight teams advanced to the playoffs, while the remaining teams were eliminated from the tournament and sent home.

In the playoffs, the top 8 teams from the Regular Season were seeded into the bracket based on their previous performance. The playoffs followed a Double Elimination Bracket format, meaning teams had a second chance by dropping to the lower bracket and fighting their way back to the finals. The first and second-round matches were played in a Best-of-Three (Bo3) format, while all remaining matches were Best-of-Five (Bo5).

Additionally, the playoff matches were played with the Fearless Draft mode, where champions picked by a team in a series could not be selected again in subsequent games of that series. This format was well-received by fans, as it made matches more exciting and diverse. It also forced teams to adapt and expand their champion pools and strategic approaches.

The Road to the Regular Season at LEC Winter 2025

The Regular Season of LEC Winter 2025 brought together the 10 strongest teams from the region. Nearly every day from January 18 to February 3, teams faced off in Best-of-One (Bo1) matches to determine who deserved a spot in the Playoffs.

Teams and Regular Season Results:

Unexpectedly for many, Fnatic delivered an outstanding performance in the Regular Season, securing first place.

Karmine Corp played confidently, though they occasionally fell short against their opponents. If the matches had been Bo3 or Bo5, they likely could have staged comebacks with ease, but the Bo1 format is unpredictable and unforgiving. Despite this, Karmine Corp finished with a positive record, taking second place.

G2 Esports, on the other hand, initially gave their fans a reason to worry, as they didn’t start the season with the best results. However, they managed to regroup and recover as the tournament progressed. The roster changes within the team also played a role in their early struggles, but they ultimately secured third place in the Regular Season.

Out of the 10 teams, the worst results came from SK Gaming and Rogue.

Rogue was under scrutiny from the start, particularly regarding the team's motivation for this tournament. Since the organization was reportedly planning to sell its LEC slot, the players' mental state was uncertain. This factor may have contributed to their poor performance.

SK Gaming, on the other hand, has struggled in recent years. Their most notable achievement was a 5th-6th place finish at the LEC Season Finals 2024. The team made roster changes at the end of 2024, but they are still not ready to compete at the international level. Hopefully, they will come back stronger next time and bring joy to their fans.

Looking at the Regular Season results, most outcomes were expected. Only eight teams advanced to the next stage of LEC Winter 2025, while SK Gaming and Rogue were eliminated, each managing just one win throughout the tournament.

Playoff Battle for the Grand Finals

The eight teams were seeded into the bracket based on their Regular Season results. For the first two weeks, all matches were played in a Best-of-Three (Bo3) format within a Double Elimination Bracket, using the Fearless Draft mode. The first playoff matches were relatively easy for the top teams, as the top 4 teams from the Regular Season secured clean 2-0 victories, sending their opponents to fight for survival in the lower bracket.

The second week turned out to be much more intense. Matches were thrilling in both the upper and lower brackets, but unlike the upper bracket, any mistake in the lower bracket meant instant elimination. Every team understood the importance of each match, giving everything they had prepared to stay in the competition.

In the Upper Bracket Semifinals, Fnatic faced G2 Esports, and KOI faced Karmine Corp. As a result, G2 won 2-0, and Karmine Corp also defeated KOI 2-0. This set up the Upper Bracket Final between G2 Esports and Karmine Corp. Meanwhile, Fnatic and KOI dropped to the Lower Bracket, where GIANTX and Team BDS were waiting. Both Fnatic and KOI proved they deserved to be in the tournament, defeating their opponents and advancing through the Lower Bracket Semifinals. However, in the Fnatic vs. KOI matchup, the former proved stronger, defeating KOI 3-1 without much trouble.

The Upper Bracket Final showed G2 fans that, despite roster changes, the team remained strong and ready to repeat last year's records when they won every championship in their region. Without any major intrigue or tension, G2 Esports defeated Karmine Corp 3-1, becoming the first finalist of LEC Winter 2025. Karmine Corp then dropped to the Lower Bracket, where they faced Fnatic in an intense battle. The winner of this Bo5 showdown remained unclear until the very end. Karmine Corp displayed resilience and determination, winning the decisive fifth map and closing the series 3-2. This victory secured them a place in the Grand Final, where they would once again face G2. This final step is designed to determine the team that will represent the region at First Stand 2025, as well as the strongest team at the moment.

An unexpected final result and a dramatic rematch

Credit: Twitter: LEC

The decisive stage of LEC Winter 2025 took place in a showdown between G2 Esports and Karmine Corp. G2 were seen as the favorites by fans, especially considering that Karmine Corp had almost no chance in their Upper Bracket Final loss against them.

Whether it was G2’s overconfidence in this match or Karmine Corp’s hunger for victory, the LEC Winter 2025 Grand Final turned out completely different from what anyone expected. Karmine Corp delivered an unbelievable performance, completely dominating G2 and leaving them no chance at all.

Credit: Twitter: LEC

Karmine Corp kick off their 2025 season in style, while unfortunately for G2 Esports, they won’t be able to replicate last year’s success. However, they will have another chance at LEC Spring 2025, set to take place in April.

Congratulations to Karmine Corp on their victory and the €40,000 prize. They have also earned the opportunity to showcase their skills at the first-ever First Stand 2025, which is just around the corner. Ahead of them lies an even tougher challenge—facing other regional champions.