Riot to launch LoL Game Changers tournament in 2025 for marginalized genders

The EMEA esports ecosystem for League of Legends might change forever this year, as Riot Games is will introduce a league for marginalized-genders, following the success of VALORANT’s Game Changers. 

Sources close to Dot Esports, also corroborated by Sheep Esports, suggest that Riot Games is preparing to introduce a Game Changers tournament for its League esport ecosystem. 

The tournament is expected to take place this year, featuring eight teams and, according to Sheep Esports’ report, a LAN event. Sources told Sheep Esports one of the league’s qualifiers will be organized by SK Gaming, a tier one organization with a signed women’s roster who have been competing for four years already. However, the organizer for the league has yet to be announced, whether a third party or Riot itself. 

What is known so far is that Riot’s commitment to inclusivity in esports is extending beyond VALORANT, where the Game Changers program has thrived. The VALORANT 2024 Game Changers Championship attracted an average of 124K viewers, peaking at almost half a million concurrent viewers according to Esports Charts. With League fans having waited even longer for a Game Changers-style tournament, the hype surrounding this new event could be just as strong—if not even greater.

So momentum for the tournament is fueled by the precedent set in VALORANT, where Game Changers has provided a legitimate bridge to the tier-one leagues. If Riot applies the same model to League, it could transform how marginalized genders players gain access to professional play, offering long-term opportunities for integration within the LEC and beyond.

Several LEC teams are already showing interest, with some rumored to have already finalized their women’s rosters. Given the competitive success of VALORANT’s league, these teams are likely preparing to make waves, not just in regional circuits but as potential stepping stones to the highest level of play. While Riot has yet to formally address these reports, sources indicate that an official announcement is expected in early February. If confirmed, the League Game Changers tournament—or whatever its name will officially be—could become one of the most significant competitive developments in years, paving the way for a new era in the game’s esports landscape.