The first tangible effects of Game Changers’ arrival on the League of Legends scene, previously reported by Sheep Esports, are beginning to emerge. On Tuesday, the French club Zerance announced the opening of applications for its women’s team. “Whether you’re an experienced competitor or taking your first steps into the competitive scene, we’re looking for passionate, dedicated players ready to grow and thrive in a supportive environment,” the organization stated in a Google Form addressed to prospective candidates.

The club has been active in Riot Games’ MOBA since 2023, acquiring the Tony Parker Adéquat Academy roster—the former LDLC OL academy—to compete in the Mastercard Nexus Tour, France’s third division. By 2024, Zerance had moved up to the LFL Division 2. Finishing sixth in the Spring Split regular season, the organization secured a playoff spot in its debut split in the league. However, Zerance was swept 3-0 in its first playoff match against eventual champions Ici Japon Corp.

"It's in line with the club's values"

The Summer Split proved more challenging, with the team finishing in last place. Zerance remains in the LFL’s second division for 2025 and currently sits in fifth place in the Winter Split, tied with Karmine Corp Blue Stars and Lille Esport, with a record of three wins and five losses. "We've been thinking about joining the women's LoL scene since the end of 2024," explained Sparky, Zerance’s League of Legends manager. "It was important for us to spend a year in LFL2 to ensure we could manage multiple projects simultaneously. It's simply in line with the club’s values, which have always emphasized parity and diversity among our members. So, it was only natural for us to enter the women's circuit once we had established ourselves in the Div2 scene."

The upcoming launch of Game Changers was the final push that convinced Zerance, explains Sparky: "The lack of structure and clarity in competitions made committing difficult. But this effort from Riot convinced us to get involved as early as this year." Zerance has also already established a presence in the VALORANT women’s scene since 2024 under the banner of Zerance MINT. On Sunday, the team secured qualification for Stage 1 of the VCT Game Changers EMEA, finishing in the Top 6 of the Kickoff. “The goal is to follow in the footsteps of the Zerance Holy Mint project,” commented Sparky, on X.

As reported by Sheep Esports, the inaugural edition of Game Changers on LoL will be structured into two seasons: the first running from April to mid-May, and the second from late July to mid-September. Each split will feature a group stage followed by a playoff phase. While the full list of participating teams has yet to be revealed, our sources indicate that Riot Games intends to invite LEC teams and expects a minimum of eight teams in the competition. Non-invited teams will need to progress through the Qualifiers to secure a spot in the Main Event.

"The core of the project will remain French"

Zerance will therefore most likely have to go through these Qualifiers and could potentially face several ERL teams (Solary Académie, Galions Pearl, GameWard Astrals...) that are already well-established in the women's scene. That doesn’t scare Sparky: "We fully intend to make an impact in year one and compete with already established ERL teams. However, we also know how to be patient, and our goal is to build a team around a core of players who will develop and improve over time. To ensure this, we are counting on our ability to create a healthy working environment that allows players to reach the top level. This is why we want to invest in coaching staff, support structures, and infrastructure."

According to Sparky, the club’s women's roster will also compete in tournaments on the WNB scene. The team will make sure to participate in the Coupe des Étoiles, one of the scene’s major competitions, which requires teams to have at least two French players in their lineup. "As always with Zerance, the core of the project will remain French, as it has been for all previous rosters in the club," Sparky detailed.