MANILA, PHILIPPINES — Riot Games, the leading developer and publisher of globally renowned esports title League of Legends, is set to double down on the competitive gaming and esports scene in the Philippines with the launch of Liga Republika 2024.
An evolution of last year’s Empyrean Cup, the Liga Republika 2024 competitive circuit is set to welcome 384 teams to join the competition – an expansion from 256 teams the year prior. The pilot iteration of Liga Republika welcomes players from Luzon, Visayas, and Mindanao to find the best League of Legends teams in the country, setting the stage for a reinvigorated competitive League in the Philippines.
With a new local tournament that Filipino players can call their own, a new format and more chances for teams to join, Riot Games Philippines hopes to show players that League of Legends is here to stay for the long run. Building from last year, Riot is setting the stage for sustainable competition and grassroots opportunities in the county, with its players taking the lead.
“Liga Republika reinforces our commitment to the Philippine esports and gaming community. Fueled by the success of last year’s Empyrean Cup in reigniting the League of Legends community in the country, rebranding the league to Liga Republika reinforces and sustains the momentum we gained, and elevate the esports scene in the Philippines through a healthier and more competitive league,” said Joel Guzman, Country Manager of Riot Games Philippines.
“We are committed to create a league that fosters a sense of pride, identity, and belonging for our players. And by evolving last year’s Empyrean Cup to Liga Republika, our hope is to give our players a league that they can proudly call tatak Pinoy,” added Kimi Salazar, Multiplayer Online Battle Arena (MOBA) Brand Manager of Riot Games Philippines.
Liga Republika 2024 Roadmap, Format and Schedules
This historic tournament integrates both online and offline stages, ensuring accessibility for League players all over the country.
Liga Republika 2024 will begin this May with a Kickoff Invitational featuring the top eight teams from the 2023 Empyrean Cup, where the top four will qualify for the group stage in August.
In June, the tournament will open its registration to the public. More than 300 teams will compete in the open qualifiers round slated from July to August, vying for one of the 12 groups slots.
From the invitational round and open qualifiers, a total of 16 teams will advance to the group stage scheduled in August, with the playoffs scheduled for the month of September.
Liga Republika’s grand finale will take place offline at a LAN event where the top eight teams will compete in front of a live audience for the title of champion and the lion’s share of the million-peso prize pool.
Fans are invited to follow League of Legends’ official Facebook and Instagram to get the most up-to-date information on the upcoming Liga Republika 2024 Tournament.