North America’s LTA North has overtaken Europe in Riot Games’ League of Legends power rankings following the LEC’s poor MSI 2025 performance. Here’s how it happened and what it means for the competitive landscape.
In a surprising shift within the global League of Legends competitive scene, North America’s LTA North has officially overtaken Europe’s LEC in Riot Games’ most recent power rankings. This marks a significant turning point for Western League of Legends, where Europe has long held the upper hand in international competition.
The rankings shift comes in the aftermath of the 2025 Mid-Season Invitational (MSI), where European teams faltered dramatically. The LEC became the first region eliminated from the tournament, with G2 Esports losing to North America’s FlyQuest, and Movistar KOI falling to CTBC Flying Oyster. These defeats had far-reaching consequences beyond the MSI bracket, directly affecting the LEC’s standing on the global leaderboard.
LTA North’s Rise to Third Place
LTA North’s climb up the rankings began subtly at the close of Split 1, when they were still 63 points behind the LEC with a Regional Strength Score of 1403. However, continued strong performances and deep international runs gradually closed the gap. The decisive overtaking occurred on July 6th, 2025, following the conclusion of Split 2 and the ongoing MSI.
Riot’s Contextualised Match Weighting model, which gives more weight to matches played in international events, group stages, and knockout rounds, played a crucial role in the updated rankings. While regional leagues still matter, it’s global performances that tip the balance, and in this case, North America stepped up just as Europe faltered.
FlyQuest Carries NA’s Banner at MSI
Central to LTA North’s rise is FlyQuest, which remains active in the MSI lower bracket. After defeating G2 Esports and pushing North America ahead in the rankings, FlyQuest is now set to face Bilibili Gaming on July 9th in the second round of the lower bracket. With Europe now out of the tournament, FlyQuest has the opportunity to further solidify North America’s newly claimed position as the third-best region in the world, behind only the LCK and LPL.
Community Reactions and Format Debates
The power shift has reignited debates within the League of Legends community. Popular content creator Ludwig Ahgren openly questioned MSI’s regional slot distribution, asking:
“When are we going to question EU getting two representatives at MSI when NA is by far a better region?”
Ludwig’s comments reflect a growing sentiment that Riot Games’ current allocation model may be due for reconsideration, especially if LTA North continues to outperform expectations internationally. With Worlds 2025 on the horizon and MSI still underway, many are watching to see if Riot will respond with slot rebalancing or additional MSI invites for NA in 2026.
Looking Ahead
As the MSI bracket continues on July 8th and 9th, the spotlight is firmly on FlyQuest. A strong finish could mark a lasting shift in the power dynamics of Western League of Legends. Meanwhile, Europe’s early exit serves as a wake-up call for the LEC, which now faces pressure to reassert its dominance in the second half of the season.
Fans can follow the action on Twitch, YouTube, and TikTok as the competitive narrative continues to evolve.
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