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The LCK 2025 Playoffs Bracket is Set! Who Will Take the Crown in the End?
The playoffs bracket is set. A long and arduous season of top-flight League of Legends is coming to an end in South Korea. The top 6 teams in the region will now head to the 2025 LCK Playoffs, where they will compete for a ticket to Worlds, as well as the chance to earn the prestigious title of LCK Champions.
Let's take a look at everything there is to know about the 2025 LCK Playoffs before they kick off on Wednesday, September 10th.
Teams
The top 6 teams in the LCK following the Regular Season and the Play-In Stage have qualified for the Playoffs. These teams are:
Format and Schedule
Delivering some of the highest level of League of Legends action, you won't want to miss a second of the action at the 2025 LCK Playoffs. To help you follow the games more easily, here's a look at how the format and schedule will work:
Format:
- Double-elimination bracket
- The top two seeded teams get a bye into Round 2, seeds #3-#6 will play in Round 1
- All matches are Bo5 (Fearless Draft)
- Top 3 teams at the end of the playoffs qualify to Worlds 2025
- Gen.G is already qualified for Worlds after winning MSI 2025. This means that if Gen.G finish in the top 3, the 4th best team qualifies for Worlds Play-In Stage.
Schedule and Key Dates:
- The 2025 LCK Playoffs kick off on Wednesday, September 10th
- Finals weekend starts on September 27th:
- Lower Bracket Finals: Saturday, September 27th
- Grand Finals: Sunday, September 28th
- Round 1 matches start at 1 am PT / 10 am CET, all other matches will take place at 11 pm PT (day before) / 8 am CET.
Opening Matches and Predictions
The first round of matches of the 2025 LCK Playoffs will see four teams clash for a chance to face Gen.G and Hanwha Life in the next stage. Here's a look at the opening matches:
T1 vs Dplus [Wednesday, September 10th - 1 am PT / 10 am CET]
T1 were given the choice to choose between Dplus and FearX for their rivals in the opening match. The fact that the reigning World Champions picked Dplus simply speaks to how far the former South Korean powerhouse has fallen.
DK have looked utterly out of sorts throughout the season, often struggling to deal with theoretically weaker rivals in the Rise Group. T1, meanwhile, have grown stronger and stronger as the season progressed. During this opening match of the LCK Playoffs, Gumayusi and Keria should have no problems dealing with the Dplus bot lane, leading T1 to yet another rematch against Gen.G in Round 2.
Prediction: T1 3-0 Dplus
KT Rolster vs FearX [Thursday, September 11th - 1 am PT / 10 am CET]
Among the two opening matches, this one will surely be the most even. FearX have been on the rise lately, winning all of their matches in the Play-In Stage. It must be said, however, that KT Rolster have played against much tougher opposition all year long over in the Legends Group.
Despite having reason to feel confident in their chances, KT will need to watch out for a hungry FearX, as the chance to qualify for Worlds for the first time in their history will be a particularly enticing one. Besides, you just never know when rookie sensation Diable might decide to take over a game...
Prediction: KT Rolster 3-2 FearX
Where to Watch
Some of the best League of Legends teams in the world are about to take the stage, and you won't want to miss a second of it. Catch the LCK Playoffs action live on the official LCK channels on Twitch or YouTube.
Don't miss out on the stellar start of the 2025 LCK Playoffs, beginning Wednesday, September 10th, at 10 am CET!
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Featured image credit: LCK
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