The LCS Playoffs 2025 are here — and North America’s best are ready to clash for regional glory and a coveted spot at the 2025 World Championship. With new rosters, rising rookies, and a meta favoring explosive teamfights, this year’s bracket feels more unpredictable than ever.
Let’s break down the bracket, the key matchups, power rankings, and bold predictions for who will lift the LCS trophy this season.
1. The 2025 LCS Playoffs Bracket Format
Riot’s latest LCS format keeps the competition both brutal and balanced.
Structure Overview:
- Double-elimination bracket
- Top 8 teams from the regular season qualify
- Upper bracket for seeds 1–4, lower bracket for 5–8
- Matches are best-of-five (Bo5)
- Top 3 teams qualify for Worlds 2025
Seeding Example (as of end of regular split):
- Team Liquid
- Cloud9
- NRG
- 100 Thieves
- FlyQuest
- Evil Geniuses
- Dignitas
- Immortals
Seeds 1–4 start in the upper bracket. The rest fight for survival in elimination rounds.
2. The Bracket – Matchups Overview
Upper Bracket Quarterfinals
(1) Team Liquid vs (4) 100 Thieves
(2) Cloud9 vs (3) NRG
Lower Bracket Round 1
(5) FlyQuest vs (8) Immortals
(6) Evil Geniuses vs (7) Dignitas
Winners move forward for Worlds qualification; losers are eliminated.
3. Team-by-Team Breakdown
1. Team Liquid – The Titans Return
Roster Highlights: CoreJJ, Yeon, APA, UmTi, Impact
After a rocky 2024, Team Liquid rebuilt around their fundamentals — and it’s paying off. Their macro play, lane stability, and late-game patience make them the most complete roster heading into playoffs.
Strengths:
- Incredible teamfight coordination
- Best objective control in the league
- CoreJJ’s leadership still unmatched
Weaknesses:
- Overly cautious mid-game decisions
- Reliance on Yeon’s scaling ADC picks
Prediction: Top 2 finish guaranteed.
2. Cloud9 – The Consistent Powerhouse
Roster Highlights: Berserker, Blaber, Jensen, Fudge, Vulcan
Cloud9 remains the most consistent team in North America. Their early aggression and flexible drafting style allow them to adapt to nearly any patch.
Strengths:
- Berserker’s mechanical dominance
- Blaber’s creative jungle pathing
- Draft variety and meta adaptation
Weaknesses:
- Mid-game coin-flips in macro
- Fudge’s form can swing from godlike to ghost
Prediction: A lock for finals contention.
3. NRG – The Dark Horse
Roster Highlights: Contractz, Palafox, FBI, Ignar, Dhokla
After surprising fans with their Worlds 2024 performance, NRG returns stronger and more confident. Their chemistry is exceptional, and Palafox has evolved into a true mid-lane threat.
Strengths:
- Strong synergy and morale
- Versatile champion pools
- Unpredictable drafts
Weaknesses:
- Inconsistent early games
- Tendency to overchase in skirmishes
Prediction: Potential upset team — semifinal guaranteed if they beat C9.
4. 100 Thieves – Star Power Meets Pressure
Roster Highlights: Doublelift (rumored return), Closer, Quid, Tenacity, Busio
With an experienced core and explosive rookies, 100T remains a threat. However, their lack of coordination under pressure can make or break their run.
Strengths:
- Late-game carries thrive under chaos
- Closer’s playoff buff
- Experience from veterans like Doublelift
Weaknesses:
- Disorganized early-game rotations
- Unstable drafts against top-tier teams
Prediction: Lower bracket run — but not finals material this year.
5. FlyQuest – Built for Comebacks
Roster Highlights: Spica, VicLa, Inspired, Massu, Vulcan
FlyQuest’s volatile playstyle makes them one of the hardest teams to predict. When they’re in form, they can challenge anyone — but inconsistency haunts them.
Strengths:
- High ceiling in early-game snowballs
- Excellent jungle mid synergy
- Adaptable draft flexibility
Weaknesses:
- Mental game collapses after early losses
- Weak coordination under split pressure
Prediction: Possible surprise semifinalists.
6. Evil Geniuses – The X-Factor Team
Roster Highlights: jojopyun, Revenge, Contractz, Smoothie, Luger
EG has the raw mechanics to upset top seeds, but their synergy and macro remain questionable.
Strengths:
- Individual talent across roles
- jojopyun’s laning dominance
- Aggressive early-game planning
Weaknesses:
- Weak late-game shotcalling
- Poor vision setups for objectives
Prediction: Knocked out by Round 2.
7. Dignitas – The Gatekeepers
Roster Highlights: Santorin, Jensen, Tomo, IgNar, Armut
Dignitas always seems one step away from greatness — a veteran-heavy team that struggles to convert small leads.
Strengths:
- Stable laning
- Jensen’s experience
- Strong objective fights
Weaknesses:
- Slow tempo
- Lack of coordination in clutch moments
Prediction: Early exit, but strong individual showings.
8. Immortals – Playing with Nothing to Lose
Roster Highlights: Arrow, Kenvi, Ablazeolive, Solo, Joey
Immortals enter as the clear underdogs — but sometimes, that’s exactly how chaos begins. Their aggressive drafts can catch unprepared teams off-guard.
Prediction: First-round exit, but with highlight moments.
4. Predicted Bracket Path
Upper Bracket Predictions
- Team Liquid defeats 100T (3–1)
- Cloud9 edges out NRG (3–2)
Lower Bracket Predictions
- FlyQuest defeats Immortals (3–0)
- Evil Geniuses defeats Dignitas (3–1)
Semifinals
- Team Liquid defeats Cloud9 (3–2) in upper final
- NRG defeats FlyQuest in lower final
Grand Finals
Team Liquid vs Cloud9
A rematch of North America’s greatest modern rivalry.
Liquid’s superior teamfight control and veteran experience should give them the edge.
Predicted Score: Team Liquid wins 3–1 and qualifies for Worlds 2025 as LCS Champions.
5. Worlds Qualification Predictions
| Placement | Team | Worlds Seed |
|---|---|---|
| 🥇 | Team Liquid | LCS #1 |
| 🥈 | Cloud9 | LCS #2 |
| 🥉 | NRG | LCS #3 |
| 4th | FlyQuest | Regional Qualifier Contender |
Expect these three to represent NA in Worlds — with Team Liquid leading the charge.
6. Key Players to Watch
- Yeon (TL): Finally emerging as NA’s next great ADC.
- Berserker (C9): Mechanically unstoppable.
- Palafox (NRG): The clutch mid-lane performer.
- CoreJJ (TL): Still defining what “support brain” means.
- Blaber (C9): Aggression and creativity in one.
The playoff MVP race will likely come down to Yeon vs Blaber.
7. Meta Analysis – Patch 15.3
Current Competitive Meta:
- ADC Priority: Jinx, Zeri, Kai’Sa
- Mid Lane Focus: Azir, Orianna, Akali
- Top Lane Picks: Renekton, K’Sante, Gwen
- Jungle: Vi, Lee Sin, Rell
- Supports: Nautilus, Rakan, Milio
The 2025 meta rewards engage-heavy, scaling comps — favoring disciplined teams like Team Liquid and Cloud9.
8. Bold Predictions for 2025 LCS Playoffs
- Palafox will 1v9 at least one series.
- Blaber will pull off a Baron steal that defines the tournament.
- Doublelift may return mid-split rumors — but 100T won’t crack Top 4.
- Team Liquid will break their 3-year trophy drought.
- A rookie ADC will outshine veterans in damage charts.
9. What to Expect from the Finals
If Team Liquid vs Cloud9 happens, expect:
- Draft battles over scaling ADCs and engage junglers.
- Long macro games averaging 35+ minutes.
- CoreJJ’s experience dictating tempo.
The final could easily become one of the most tactical series in LCS history.
10. Conclusion
The LCS Playoffs 2025 promise intensity, unpredictability, and redemption arcs.
From Team Liquid’s return to dominance to NRG’s dark-horse momentum, this postseason could redefine North America’s competitive identity heading into Worlds.
Whether you’re cheering for Cloud9’s consistency, NRG’s chaos, or FlyQuest’s redemption, one thing is certain — this bracket won’t disappoint.
“In the LCS, anything can happen — that’s why we watch.”
