The League of Legends Pro League (LPL) returns for Week 7 of Split 3 in the 2025 season, with playoff aspirations heating up as the regular season enters its final stretch. The league’s new structure, including the unforgiving hard Fearless Draft format, has created a highly strategic battleground that rewards champion diversity, drafting flexibility, and deep tactical preparation. With key matches ahead and standings tightening, teams are racing to secure playoff berths and a place in the season’s final bracket.
Recapping Week 6: Surging Momentum and Shifting Dynamics
- Mon Aug 18: FunPlus Phoenix 0–2 Weibo Gaming
- Mon Aug 18: Bilibili Gaming 1–2 Invictus Gaming
- Tue Aug 19: Ninjas in Pyjamas 2–0 LNG Esports
- Tue Aug 19: Anyone’s Legend 0–2 Top Esports
- Wed Aug 20: LGD Gaming 2–0 ThunderTalk Gaming
- Wed Aug 20: FunPlus Phoenix 0–2 Anyone’s Legend
- Thu Aug 21: Ultra Prime 0–2 EDward Gaming
- Thu Aug 21: JD Gaming 1–2 Bilibili Gaming
- Fri Aug 22: Invictus Gaming 2–0 FunPlus Phoenix
- Fri Aug 22: EDward Gaming 0–2 LGD Gaming
- Sat Aug 23: LNG Esports 2–0 ThunderTalk Gaming
- Sat Aug 23: Team WE 1–2 Top Esports
- Sat Aug 23: Weibo Gaming 1–2 Invictus Gaming
- Sun Aug 24: EDward Gaming 2–0 LNG Esports
- Sun Aug 24: JD Gaming 0–2 Anyone’s Legend
Current LPL Standings – Split 3
Standings as of Monday, August 18, 2025. Win-loss columns reflect series outcomes for the ongoing group stage.
| Group Ascend | Group Nirvana |
|---|---|
| Top Esports: 11–2 | Ninjas in Pyjamas: 9–1 |
| Invictus Gaming: 9–3 | Edward Gaming: 8–2 |
| Bilibili Gaming: 9–3 | LGD Gaming: 5–4 |
| Anyone’s Legend: 8–5 | Ultra Prime: 3–6 |
| Weibo Gaming: 5–7 | ThunderTalk Gaming: 2–8 |
| JD Gaming: 4–8 | LNG Esports: 2–8 |
| Team WE: 2–10 | |
| FunPlus Phoenix: 1–11 |
Upcoming Matches – LPL Week 7 Schedule
All series are best-of-three. Kick-off times are provided in CEST and GMT-4.
Monday, August 25
- LGD Gaming vs Ultra Prime – 11:00 CEST, 05:00 GMT-4
- FunPlus Phoenix vs Bilibili Gaming – 13:00 CEST, 07:00 GMT-4
Tuesday, August 26
- Team WE vs Invictus Gaming – 11:00 CEST, 05:00 GMT-4
- Top Esports vs FunPlus Phoenix – 13:00 CEST, 07:00 GMT-4
Wednesday, August 27
- Weibo Gaming vs JD Gaming – 11:00 CEST, 05:00 GMT-4
- Team WE vs Anyone’s Legend – 13:00 CEST, 07:00 GMT-4
Thursday, August 28
- JD Gaming vs Weibo Gaming – 11:00 CEST, 05:00 GMT-4
- Invictus Gaming vs Bilibili Gaming – 13:00 CEST, 07:00 GMT-4
Note: Thursday matches are rescheduled make-up games following delays from weather disruptions in Beijing and typhoon conditions.
Key Matchups to Watch
Invictus Gaming vs Bilibili Gaming – Thu August 28, 13:00 CEST
A potential Group Ascend first-seed decider, this clash features two well-matched contenders with uniquely different strengths. Invictus Gaming thrives on well-timed engages and calculated map pressure, while Bilibili Gaming often wins through elegant cross-map plays and powerful late-game execution. Expect focus on the bot lane, governing critical teamfight setups. The additional preparation time due to rescheduling could result in deeper strategic variance under the constraints of Fearless Draft, making this one of the week’s most compelling showdowns.
Weibo Gaming vs JD Gaming – Back-to-Back on Wed and Thu, 11:00 CEST
A rare home-and-away sequence between the same teams across two consecutive days delivers high-stakes playoff rehearsal drama. Weibo Gaming seeks resurgence and consistent wins to stay playoff-relevant, while JDG aims to arrest a decline in performance. Tactical evolution between the first and second day’s drafts will reveal which coaching staff can best manage Fearless Draft restrictions and mid-series adaptations.
Player Spotlight: TheShy – Invictus Gaming
TheShy remains a force in the top lane, defined by his punishing laning phase and creative champion pool usage. Thriving within the hard Fearless Draft system, he alternates between lane-dominant champions like Jayce and Kennen, durable frontline options such as K’Sante and Renekton, and high-impact AP flex picks including Rumble. His versatility forces opponent bans into disadvantageous territory, often opening comfort for his teammates.
This week, TheShy’s individual performances against Team WE and Bilibili Gaming could shape both series outcomes. Securing early lane control and limiting deaths allows Invictus to pressure dragons and set teamfight conditions. Strong execution from TheShy could prove decisive in Invictus’s pursuit of first seed and a more favorable playoff path.
Understanding the Format and Playoff Implications
- Split 3 is the LPL’s final competitive segment in 2025, with three World Championship slots up for grabs.
- Teams were divided based on results from Split 2: Group Ascend includes the top 8, while Group Nirvana comprises the remaining 6.
- Each team competes in a double round-robin system within their group. All matches are best-of-three.
- The top four teams in Group Ascend qualify directly for playoffs. The remaining Ascend teams join the top four from Nirvana in the playoff play-ins.
- Hard Fearless Draft is active throughout: once a champion is played by a team in a series, it is banned for them for the rest of that series.
- The format places additional strategic strain on team depth, champion mastery, and staff adaptation—magnifying volatility in both game and draft.
