Riot Games has announced a new League of Legends European Championship playoff format, with changes to qualifying, a bigger emphasis on the Summer Split and the end to regional qualifiers.
Spring Split points will now be based on the spring playoffs, while Summer Split points will be based on the regular-season finish. Those points will determine who qualifies for the Summer playoffs. Summer points will have a higher value than Spring points.
Because qualifiers like the Gauntlet will no longer be used, the only way to qualify for the World Championships in LEC is through the Summer playoffs.
During the playoffs themselves, the brackets will be double elimination with the top two teams no longer getting byes. The No. 1 seed will have the choice of facing the No. 3 or No. 4 seed in a best-of-five matchup. The No. 2 seed will meet the No. 3 or 4 seed that does not meet the top seed.
The Nos. 5 and 6 seeds will meet in the lower bracket. The lowest of the seeds to lose in the upper bracket drops to the lower bracket to meet the winner of the matchup between the Nos. 5 and 6 seeded teams. That winner plays the next lowest seed to lose in the upper bracket.
The team that wins its first two matchups in the upper bracket advances directly into the final against the winner of the lower bracket.
--Field Level Media
