The 2025 CWL season introduced a groundbreaking format, marking a significant shift from previous seasons. With three seasonal splits—Winter, Spring, and Autumn—each packed with intense competition, CWL players had more opportunities to showcase their skills and fight for glory.
This new structure consisted of three key phases in each split:
- Showcase Tournament – A short invitational event to set the stage.
- CWL Rise – A Swiss-format tournament where teams fought to qualify for the next stage.
- CWL Defy – A double-elimination tournament to determine the ultimate champions of the split.
How CWL Rise Works
CWL Rise featured 32 teams in a Swiss format, where teams with the same win-loss record faced each other each round. The goal was simple:
- 3 match wins secured a share of the CWL Rise prize pool.
- 3 match losses resulted in elimination.
This format ensured fair matchups, making every game highly competitive. Once every team reached either three wins or three losses, CWL Rise concluded, paving the way for CWL Defy.
CWL Defy: The Final Test
Teams that made it through CWL Rise advanced to CWL Defy, a double-elimination bracket where each match carried immense weight. The higher-seeded teams from CWL Rise started in the Upper Bracket, while lower-seeded teams had to fight through the Lower Bracket.
- Week 1: Every team played a Best-of-Three (Bo3) match.
- Week 2: Remaining teams faced off in two Bo3 matches each.
- Week 3: Upper Bracket Finals took place as a Best-of-Five (Bo5).
- Week 4: Lower Bracket Finals and the Grand Finals were played as Bo5 series to crown the champions.
This new format ensured that teams had multiple chances to prove themselves while keeping every stage intense and engaging.
A Special Thanks to Our Hosts
To introduce this major format change, CWL collaborated with long-time caster and YouTuber Zathdos, who hosted the official CWL 2025 Format Explained video. Additionally, amateur League of Legends analyst and YouTuber TheBritishPoro provided an in-depth breakdown of CWL Rise and CWL Defy, ensuring that players and viewers alike fully understood the competitive structure.
This was a major step forward for CWL, giving players more structured and rewarding competition while ensuring top-tier entertainment for fans.
Looking Ahead
With registration for the Winter Split already open, teams were gearing up for an unforgettable season. CWL had officially entered a new era, and the excitement was just beginning. Whether you were a player, fan, or aspiring esports talent, 2025 was shaping up to be the biggest year yet.