LPL Rumored to Introduce Bidding System for League of Legends 2025-26 Off-Season
The LPL (League of Legends Pro League) will reportedly be undergoing systemic changes going into the 2026 season. Starting from this off-season, the LPL will be introducing a ‘bidding system’ for LPL organizations to bid on FA (Free Agent) players. According to reports, the organization that ‘bids the highest’ will sign the player.
LPL New Bidding System Leaked
LPL insider @tttttyuc broke it back in October that the LPL would be introducing a massive change during their offseason this year, a new bidding system for FA players. On the 3rd of November, the details of this bidding system were further outlined in a follow-up leak.
Here’s a quick breakdown of how the bidding will work:
- Highest bidder signs the player.
- If player receives similar amount from multiple organizations, the one with the highest points gets priority.
- Highest points are determined by a combination of international results for the past 3 years and LDL results. Highest weight is given to this year’s performance.
- Round 1 of bidding must be more than 70% of the salary cap.
- If multiple organizations with the same points offer similar offer amounts to a player, the player may choose between them.
- Players who have played less than 2 Bo3s (Best-of-Three) in Split 3 will not participate in the bidding but instead can sign directly with organizations.
- Eligible players must engage in the bidding. Refusal will lead to a ban for 2 splits. Furthermore, refusal to join the organization that wins their bid will also lead to a ban for the player.
The LPL is in Trouble
For the last few years, the LPL has seen a decline in viewership and popularity. Despite the size of the region and the number of highly popular and decorated players that hail from the league, insiders alluded that the league was failing – and this reported change might only hasten the silent crisis.
The primary issue most have found with this change comes from the bidding price cap. According to reports, the salary cap for 2024-25 is 10 million RMB (renminbi) and expected to go down 30% for the 2025-26 season, meaning 7 million RMB. According to LPL sources, 5 million RMB could account for an organization’s expenditure for an entire roster, certainly a sum greater than the majority of LPL players currently earn individually.
While this move will definitely increase the amount organization’s spend in the short term on players, in the long term, it’s a move that appears to be antithetical to the sustained health of the league.
This move, coupled with other factors affecting the LPL’s performance as a product, has caused great concern for the future of the league. Mismanagement, weak marketing and branding are all major factors and this latest update appears to be the latest string adding to the former. Regardless of all this, the LPL remains a titan within the esports space and one of the most popular leagues to watch. Whether this remains true in the coming years remains to be seen.
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Featured Image Credit: Yicun Liu/Riot Games
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