Can Rookie and TheShy Lead Invictus Gaming to Worlds? The LPL Split 3 Playoffs are Here

3 Sep

Martin Arévalo-Östberg

The 2025 LPL Split 3 Playoffs are here! The bracket is set, and teams will be eager to come away with the final trophy of the year in the region, securing themselves a spot at Worlds 2025 in the process.

Invictus Gaming are in hot form after finishing second in Group Ascend. Can Rookie and TheShy complete their triumphant return with a trophy? Let's take a look at everything there is to know about the LPL Split 3 Playoffs.

Credit: LoL Esports

Teams

Format and Schedule

The LPL Playoffs officially take off on Sunday, September 7th. Here's a complete look at the tournament's format and key dates:

Format:

Double-elimination bracket
All matches are Bo5 (Fearless Draft)
High ranked teams from the Rumble Stage get side selection for Game 1
The Champions qualify directly to Worlds 2025
- The last two LPL spots at Worlds will be decided through Championship Points and the Regional Finals

Schedule:

The playoffs will begin on Sunday, September 7th
Matches begin at 8 am CET and 11 am CET
- Except for the Lower Bracket Finals and Grand Finals, which begin at 10 am CET
The Grand Finals will crown the Split 3 Champions of the LPL on Sunday, September 21st

Opening Matchups:

Bilibili Gaming vs JD Gaming [Sunday, September 7th - 8 am CET]
Invictus Gaming vs EDward Gaming [Sunday, September 7th - 11 am CET]
Anyone's Legend vs Weibo Gaming [Sunday, September 8th - 8 am CET]
Top Esports vs Ninjas in Pyjamas [Sunday, September 8th - 11 am CET]

Can Invictus Gaming Return to the Top?

When Invictus Gaming announced the return of Rookie and TheShy for the start of the 2025 season, the move was met with understandable skepticism. The South Korean duo had led Invictus Gaming to their first and only Worlds title all the way back in 2018, yet seven years later, here we find them again.

Though Invictus Gaming got off to a slow start to the season after early exits at the Split 1 and Split 2 Playoffs, Split 3 has been a different story altogether. The team recently finished in second place in Group Ascend with a record of 11 wins and 3 losses despite competing against some of the toughest squads in the world.

As things stand, the race for the trophy looks like it will come down to Anyone's Legend, Top Esports, Bilibili Gaming, and Invictus Gaming themselves. Though AL and BLG may not be in their best form as of late, the two squads have lots of experience on the roster, and are expected to turn it up a notch when the playoffs hit. TES, meanwhile, was the best team of the Regular Season, and will be hungry to keep that momentum going as they make a run for the trophy.

The road will not be an easy one to tread, but Invictus Gaming are finding their rhythm at just the right time, making the possibility of seeing Rookie and TheShy return to Worlds an all-too-real one.

Seven years after leading Invictus Gaming to a Worlds trophy, Rookie and TheShy are looking to do it all over again. (Credit: LoL Esports)

Where to Watch

Some of the very best League of Legends teams on the planet will take to the stage and pull no punches when the 2025 LPL Split 3 Playoffs begin. To catch the action live, tune in to the LPL English broadcast channels on Twitch and YouTube starting Friday, September 7th!

Follow Strafe Esports for all the latest League news and our X account for the latest content and coverage. Also, stay tuned to Strafe YouTube for exclusive interviews, press conferences, and more.

Featured image credit: LoL Esports

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