League of Legends eases third-party tournament restrictions and brings back Triumphant Ryze

Naerlyn Published August 5, 2026

In the initial years of League of Legends, third-party tournaments ran pretty much every day. Single-day 1v1s, tiered leagues, high-school competitions, everyone could find a place to compete for RP, Triumphant Ryze, or even prize money.

Then, amidst reduced support and the launch of franchised leagues, these tournaments went away. Now, Riot hopes to give a new beginning to third-party events by lifting most of their restrictions.

Riot Games lifts restrictions on third-party LoL tournaments

In order to facilitate organizing tournaments again, LoL Esports announced the following:

• A unified, non-tiered, fast system to validate tournaments, with approval no longer necessary.
• Lifting caps on fees, prize money, and revenue.
• Removing restrictions for high school and college competition.

No more restrictions on which schools can compete, any prize pool works, and there’s no need to wait for official approval anymore.

Furthermore, Riot Games also reinstated Triumphant Ryze as a reward. A decade ago, Riot awarded up to 3,200 RP and the Triumphant Ryze exclusive skin to each player of the winning team of a tournament.

Then, these rewards got cut and the skin was eventually retired as too many players faked tournaments to farm them. With them brought back, events gain more appeal again.

Third-party tournaments are back and so is Triumphant Ryze. Image credit: Riot Games

Grassroots tournaments can empower pro play again

The point of grassroots tournaments is to help boost the player base and the path to pro play. In North America in particular, having a healthy and flourishing competitive environment across high schools and colleges drives more people to League. Furthermore, NA is the region that struggles to retain its player base the most.

Across both Western regions, competition and regular leagues below the professional level are a great way to get proficient players accustomed to this type of competition. Once they see its appeal, they can develop a hunger to strive to become pro players.

Another boon of grassroots events is that they provide visibility. In NA, several players became professionals after being picked up through the collegiate scene. Some of those events may also end up in the League of Legends betting scene as well.

ARAM and League Classic are included

With the new rules, tournament organizers can also create events for ARAM and League Classic. This opens a new door for competition, as the Howling Abyss has never had a real competitive outlet. As for League Classic, this puts it as a true alternative to the regular game and its ladder.

It’s unsure whether this change to tournaments will have a major effect or if it’s too late to change the game’s trajectory. However, it will help attract more people to League of Legends and increase the paths for players to participate in pro play.

Featured image credit: Riot Games