Riot Games listened to both teams and the community; many changes are coming to the LTA South Split 2, starting on April 5.
This year introduced a new season along with many exciting features for the competitive scene. In the LTA South, the changes were even more significant, as a new conference was created to include all the South American teams. Based on the feedback received, several adjustments will be made for the start of the LTA South Split 2, which begins on April 5. Let's take a closer look at these updates.
LTA South: Format changes
One of the main goals for the upcoming season is to introduce cross-conference matches early on. However, the LTA South Split 1 was considered too small, and the teams and community were not yet acclimated to all the changes.
According to Caco Antunes, the Head of LoL Esports in the Americas, this format was "too aggressive" and will be revised for 2026. Nonetheless, additional changes are still planned for this year regarding the next split.
Positioning Phase
One of the main changes to the LTA South format is the increase in best-of-one (Bo1) matches during the split. The league generally considers these matches less competitive and less engaging than formats like Bo3, which it will introduce before the Playoffs stage.
The tournament's first three weeks will feature a single round-robin format with each match being a Bo1. This structure will ensure more games per team, with all teams playing every day. Each team rank will determine their position in two groups.
Group Stage
Weeks four, five, and six will mark the beginning of the Group Stage. Matches will be Bo3, and all teams must strive to secure a higher position in their group to advance to the next stage. In the seventh week, teams will compete across groups.
The top two teams from each group will vie for a spot in the Playoffs, while the bottom two teams will participate in elimination matches. A total of six teams will qualify for the Playoffs. Just like in past years, the winner will qualify for the Mid-Season Invitational (MSI) happening in Canada this summer.
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Split 3
In the final split of the year, the changes are straightforward. The league will introduce a new "Pick and Play" format, allowing teams to choose their opponents for the following week. Additionally, all elimination matches will be Bo5 instead of Bo3, even before the Playoffs. All of these changes coming to the Splits will guarantee more matches in the calendar.
Bootcamp in NA
The competitive gap between the North and the South has been recognized for years. When the conferences were established, the goal was to provide Southern teams with the opportunity to gradually improve, rather than merging the two conferences, which could result in fewer Southern teams qualifying for the playoffs and international events.
In 2023, similar to what occurred in the CBLOL, some teams from the South will participate in a boot camp in North America between Split 2 and Split 3. The top three teams that did not qualify for MSI will travel to Los Angeles to train and prepare for the third split. This initiative will ensure that four teams from the South gain international experience during the competitive year.
Streaming scrims
Recently, a hot topic has been the streaming of scrims between teams. The LTA South will extend the policy regarding streaming scrims to Splits 2 and 3. Additionally, all teams will have the opportunity to stream scrims with teams from Tier 1 and Tier 2, as there are no conflicts with the calendar or official broadcasts.
LTA Fantasy is almost complete!
Before the Split 2, you'll have the chance to download the LTA Fantasy. This app is for fans who want to preview lineups, the transfer market, and much more. A detailed tutorial will soon release explaining this new app.
That's all for now. Stick around for more League of Legends news and updates on esports.gg.
