On January 22, League of Legends fans turned their attention to the launch of LFL Winter 2025, marking the start of a fresh season in the French regional league. Historically one of the most popular leagues in the EMEA Masters system, the LFL has seen a decline in viewership compared to previous years. Even the addition of a new team backed by a strong community presence hasn’t reversed the trend.
Major Changes to the LFL Format in 2025
For this season, Riot Games introduced structural changes to the league, shifting from a two-season system to three—Winter, Spring, and Summer. Previously, teams competed in a single large group, with the top six advancing to the playoffs. The new format divides teams into two groups of five, followed by multiple rounds of Swiss Stage for the top eight, culminating in a short playoff bracket.
Additionally, the drafting process has been altered. In the second and third stages, teams will use the Fearless Draft system, which prevents them from picking the same champion twice in a series. These adjustments are designed to increase competition and excitement by eliminating teams at every stage.
LFL Winter 2025 (image via Getty)The Rise of Joblife in LFL
One of the biggest talking points of LFL Winter 2025 is the arrival of Joblife, a team owned by renowned French streamer Toma “JLTomy” Abdellaoui. With a peak personal audience of 264,266 viewers, JLTomy has brought fresh attention to the league. Joblife, previously competing in the LFL’s second division, now makes its debut in the main French league, with JLTomy covering matches on his channel.
Opening Day Viewership Statistics
The first day of LFL Winter 2025 featured four highly anticipated matches, including showdowns involving Karmine Corp Blue, Gentle Mates, and Joblife. These teams, owned by well-known community casters, helped drive over 240,000 Hours Watched and an average audience of 52,925 viewers.
The standout match of the opening day was Karmine Corp Blue vs. Joblife, which peaked at 103,432 concurrent viewers. The game was streamed by Karmine Corp owner Kamel “kamet0” Kebir and Joblife’s JLTomy, both ranking among the top three community casters for the week. Willy “Skyyart” Dias, the official caster for Gentle Mates, also contributed to the league’s growing presence.
Top Matches and Viewership Rankings
Other highly watched games included Gentle Mates vs. GameWard and Ici Japon Corp. Esport vs. Galions. Full match statistics and results can be found on the tournament page on Esports Charts.
Despite the format changes, one thing remains constant—community casting continues to be a crucial driver of viewership. Kamet0 remains the dominant figure in this space, though his fanbase appears to be more engaged with Karmine Corp in the LEC, Europe’s top-tier league, than with Karmine Corp Blue in the LFL. His peak LEC Winter 2025 stream attracted 154,835 viewers, while his LFL Winter 2025 broadcast only reached 50,669—a significant drop in audience size.
Sheep Esports – LFL (image via Getty)Challenges in Maintaining Viewership
Viewership figures for the opening day of LFL Winter 2025 were lower than in previous seasons. Peak viewership dropped by 30-40%, while the average audience also saw a decline. The new format and the introduction of Joblife have not yet compensated for kamet0’s drop in viewers. However, as the season progresses and more intense matchups unfold, there is potential for numbers to rise.
The Road to EMEA Masters
The stakes remain high for all competing teams, as the winner of LFL Winter 2025 will earn a spot in the international EMEA Masters tournament. There, the best teams from regional leagues will face off for ultimate glory, adding another layer of excitement to the competition.
