Countdown Begins: Why Raleigh Important More Than Any Other Major: Why Does It Matter?
RLCS 2025 Raleigh Major: The Excitement Builds for Rocket League’s Grand Finale
As the RLCS 2025 speeds toward its much-anticipated Raleigh Major, fans of competitive esports are on the literal edges of their seats. Slated to kick off on June 26, this event in the U.S. promises to deliver nothing short of top-tier competition among 16 teams from around the globe. With a fountain of prize money and copious RLCS Circuit Ranking Points up for grabs, the players in this event have a no-holds-barred mentality to secure their spots in the RLCS 2025 World Championship set for September in Lyon, France.
What makes this event even more captivating is that it is the last Rocket League Major of the year. So, for teams that are still unsure about their world championship qualifications, this is a can’t-miss chance to grab those tickets. Anything else would lead to not very comical disaster for those squads. And Esports Charts has the detailed primer you need to grasp what’s at stake.
Prize Money, Venue, and Schedule: Everything You Need to Know
The RLCS 2025 Raleigh Major, scheduled for the Lenovo Center in Raleigh, North Carolina, is expected to be a tense tournament. The overall prize pool for the event is a substantial $351,000, with the champions netting a cool $102,000. Along with hard cash, the top teams will also earn some much-needed RLCS Circuit Ranking Points, with the top three earning 36, 24, and 16 points, respectively.
An enthralling weekend is in store for the fans, with the competition laid out in a 3v3 format. The first two days will be played behind closed doors, offering a more intimate atmosphere for the players. On June 28 and June 29, the venue will open to the public for the knockout stages, creating a real buzz among attendees.
- Swiss Stage: June 26-27 (10 AM ET / 7 AM PT)
- Finals: June 30 (1 AM ET / 8 AM PT)
A Tournament Format Like No Other
This year, the Raleigh Major has a distinctive two-stage format. All 16 teams compete in best-of-five matches in the first stage, which uses the Swiss System. The top eight teams that emerge from this format will advance to the playoffs, which use a structure the tournament organizers call a Hybrid Elimination Bracket.
The event has a schedule packed with action:
- Thursday, June 26: Round 1 & 2 of Swiss System (16 best-of-five matches)
- Friday, June 27: Swiss Rounds 3, 4, and 5 (17 matches, first to win 3 of 5 games)
- Saturday, June 28: Hybrid Elimination. Two Lower Bracket matches, two Upper Bracket matches, and the 1v1 Final in a best-of-seven format. The best-of-seven Final will also take place.
- Sunday, June 29: The continued Hybrid Elimination format sees the competition run through the best-of-seven Quarter Finals, Semi-Finals, and Grand Final matchups. Also slated for the day is the Rocket Rivalry Showmatch, which should be a crowd-pleaser.
How to Watch: Multiple Broadcasts Across Platforms
One of the unique aspects of the RLCS 2025 Raleigh Major is its thorough dissemination through various platforms. Supporters of the event will have several options from which to choose when determining how they wish to view the livestreamed event. Of the platforms available, the two most prominent are YouTube and Twitch. Bailly detailed that there will not be a single broadcast, but rather, two separate streams:
- Broadcast A: Rocket League Twitch, Rocket League TikTok, Rocket League Esports YouTube
- Broadcast B: Twitch de esports de Rocket League, YouTube de esports de Rocket League
The last two days (June 28 and June 29) will showcase English streams on Rocket League’s official Twitch, TikTok, and YouTube channels. For those wanting to experience the broadcast in a language other than English, options available include French, Spanish, Polish, Hungarian, and Portuguese.
Besides the primary streaming channels, influencers will be co-streaming the event, allowing fans to tune into those channels for live commentary and reactions. Your favorite influencers will be providing alternate commentary from their channels.
Teams to Watch: Top Contenders from Across the Globe
The biggest names in Rocket League esports will be featured at the RLCS 2025 Raleigh Major. Teams from Europe and North America, Oceania and South America have earned their way into this absolutely top-tier tournament.
- Karmine Corp (Europe)
- Dignitas (Europe)
- Team Vitality (Europe)
- NRG (North America)
- Spacestation Gaming (North America)
- Gen.G Mobil1 Racing (North America)
- FURIA (South America)
- Secret Team (South America)
- Virtus.pro (Asia-Pacific)
- FUT Esports (Sub-Saharan Africa)
Each of these teams will be competing for the top position and for valuable ranking points, making this a very cutthroat event.
RLCS 2025 Season Changes: Exciting Developments in the Format
Several exciting changes have come with the 2025 season. The most noteworthy is the significant increase in the prize pool, which now totals $5,000,000 for the 3v3 format. The season also introduces the 1v1 format, with separate open qualifiers in each region. This tournament expansion gives players new opportunities to compete and come out on top in a different format.
- 1v1 Champions: Each Major’s victor, including the one from the Raleigh event, will earn a spot in the Rocket League 1v1 World Championship 2025.
- Expansion of the World Championship: For the first time, the World Championship will include 20 teams instead of 16, with Last Chance Qualifiers (LCQs) creating more chances to add to the list of teams that have qualified.
Talent expansion shows the increasing attractiveness of Rocket League as an esport. Fans can look forward to even more electrifying action in 2023.
Viewership Trends: The Importance of French Teams and Content Creators
Similar to earlier RLCS Majors, viewership for the tournament has been significantly influenced by the French teams. Fans of the French teams Karmine Corp and Gentle Mates Alpine have clearly been turning out in droves for the event, given their respective performances in the 2024 Major 1. With those two teams, in particular, performing well throughout the first Major of the year, viewership numbers for the event are trending quite nicely.
In the future, the presence of these teams in the Raleigh Major is expected to keep viewership numbers climbing. With any luck, the event will draw even more viewers from all over the globe. YouTube is the premier platform for livestreaming, and with international audiences speaking Spanish, English, and French, it is a fair bet that those will be the dominant languages of the viewers at this particular event.
At stake is so much that the RLCS 2025 Raleigh Major won’t be an event to miss if you consider yourself a fan of Rocket League or esports in general. For longtime fans and scene newcomers alike, this major promises to deliver high-stakes excitement and to showcase the future of esports.
FAQ: Frequently Asked Questions about RLCS 2025 Raleigh Major
- Q1: What is the process for purchasing tickets for the RLCS 2025 Raleigh Major?
A1: Purchases of passes for the event’s concluding two days (June 28-29) may be made via the official RLCS website. Attendees will also have the chance to obtain exclusive event merchandise and engage in fan fun like photo ops and signature sessions. - Q2: Will there be live commentary in other languages?
A2: Indeed! Alongside the English broadcasts, the RLCS 2025 Raleigh Major will also have live streaming for French, Spanish (LATAM), Polish, Hungarian, and Portuguese audiences. You can catch these streams on Twitch and YouTube. - Q3: Which teams are most likely to win the Raleigh Major?
A3: Groups like Karmine Corp, Dignitas, and NRG are typically thought to be the strongest possible contenders, because they’re consistently up top in the RLCS. But if you look at some RLCS tournaments from the last few years, you’ll see that upsets happen often enough that any of the 16 teams in this tournament could win the whole thing. - Q4: How have the prize pools changed for the RLCS 2025 season?
A4: The prize pool for the 3v3 format this season has been considerably raised to $5,000,000. Within the competition, the 1v1 tournaments have been brought in to add yet another layer to the already many-faceted contests of the players. Furthermore, the Last Chance Qualifiers present yet another opportunity to show off the skills these players possess. - Q5: Where can I tune in to see the RLCS 2025 Raleigh Major?
A5: You can watch the event live and in real time on YouTube, Twitch, and TikTok, where you’ll find multiple streams to take in all the excitement. Depending on your preference, you can select to watch in English, French, Spanish, Polish, or a number of other languages.
Author Bio
Jordan McKenzie is an esports analyst and former collegiate Rocket League coach that focuses on audience economics. He covers competitive gaming business trends with six years of experience, a combination of backstage experience and analytical expertise.
