LoL: What is the NLC? The new home of former LEC pros

Los Ratones, led by Marc Robert "Caedrel" Lamont and featuring fan favorites like Carl Martin Erik "Rekkles" Larsson, Tim "Nemesis" Lipovšek, and Simon "Thebausffs" Hofverberg, are competing in the Northern League of Legends Championship (NLC) for the 2025 season.

They are part of a league with 10 teams including the Ruddy Sack, the team of players Luka "Perkz" Perković and Marcin "Jankos" Jankowski, as well as NORD Esports who also gathered former LEC pros such as Tamás "Vizicsacsi" Kiss.

Yet, the NLC is not a "content league", but while it doesn't qualify you for Worlds, it is an official competitive league tied to Riot Games, part of the broad European Tier 2 ecosystem.

In this guide, Sheep Esports will explain what the NLC exactly is, why winning it is valuable, and how it attracted many known League Of Legends players.

Whether in sports or esports, any structured league-based competition needs a system to develop new talent. In League of Legends, every major region has a Tier 2 ecosystem. The prestigious Korean league, the LCK, operates the LCK Challengers League (LCK CL) as its sole secondary league. Meanwhile, China’s LPL had the League of Legends Development League (LDL), and North America’s LCS had the North American Challengers League (NACL).

Europe, however, takes a different approach. Instead of a single Tier 2 league, the region is home to 13 separate leagues, collectively known as European Regional Leagues (ERLs). Each ERL represents a specific region within EMEA. For example, the LFL covers France, while Superliga represents Spain.

The NLC is the ERL representing several primarily Northern European countries: the United Kingdom, Ireland, Iceland, Finland, Norway, Sweden, Denmark, and Malta.

In the past four years, 100% of rookie European players promoted into the LEC (Tier 1 competition of Europe) had competed in the ERLs first. However, ERLs have been successful in many more ways. All ERLs have their own set of organizers (contracted with Riot Games), casters, and professionals working on the league. Partly due to national pride and identity behind each region, some ERLs have grown strong fanbases, attracting tens of thousands of regular viewers. ERLs are the best place to showcase your talent if you aren't in the LEC.

Out of all the ERLs, why choose the NLC? One key factor lies in the restrictions imposed on these leagues. To ensure fairness and maintain regional identity, all ERLs follow the same rule: each team must have at least two Locally-Trained Representatives (LTR) in its starting roster. For example, with mid-laner Adam "LIDER" Ilyasov (Norwegian) and Morgan "Hustlin" Granberg (Swedish), Ruddy's roster qualifies to compete in the NLC.

Los Ratones, on the other hand, are also eligible to compete in the NLC, as both Carl Martin Erik "Rekkles" Larsson and Simon "Baus" Hofverberg are from Sweden. In theory, they could have also played in the Esports Balkan League (EBL), as that is the region their other three players come from.

However, there’s another major reason why the NLC has become increasingly attractive in 2025. Thanks in large part to Los Ratones, Riot Games have allowed ERL organizers to let teams have their players stream their in-game perspectives during official matches. The NLC is among the few leagues embracing this change, making it an appealing destination for top-tier players looking to develop their streaming careers while competing at a high level. This shift allows content-driven players to showcase competitive gameplay while simultaneously building their personal brands, seamlessly blending competition with entertainment.

It is worth noting that the LFL, and some other of the strongest ERLs, have not adapted this change, making the NLC the most competitive ERL that's open to teams willing to embrace this newly introduced feature.

Now, here’s what makes ERLs exciting: while each league has its own teams and players, they all compete for a spot at EMEA Masters. This tournament brings together top teams from different regions, serving as the battleground where the France vs. Spain rivalry began—long before it reached the LEC. As the stage where the best from each ERL clash, it stands as the pinnacle of Tier 2 European competition.

In its latest edition, the EMEA Masters featured a Swiss Stage bigger than Worlds with four rounds for a total of 32 teams. There, teams all fight to qualify for the playoffs, similar to the Worlds format but bigger. Last summer, the winning team of the tournament, Team BDS Academy, saw four of its five players promoted to LEC teams during the offseason.

In general, performing at EMEA Masters has always been the best way for European players in Tier 2 to gather interest from LEC teams. Historically, the vast majority of EMEA Masters finalists have sent multiple players to the LEC in the next year.

The inaugural edition of the EMEA Masters in 2018 featured its own star-studded roster of former Tier 1 players, designed to capture fans' attention and compete for the trophy. Origen assembled a lineup packed with talent, including Choi "inSec" In-seok, Henrik "Froggen" Hansen, and Konstantinos-Napoleon "FORG1VEN" Tzortziou.

Unlike today's format, where teams must qualify through regional leagues, Origen entered the tournament directly. They faced a close semifinal against MAD Lions — a squad featuring future LEC stars Selfmade and Nemesis — but ultimately claimed victory, lifting the first-ever EMEA Masters trophy.

Since then, teams from various regions have claimed the EMEA Masters title. The LFL has been the dominant force, winning seven of the 14 tournaments held over seven years — an impressive 50% success rate. Meanwhile, the NLC has yet to secure a championship. Their closest attempt came in Spring 2021 when BTXL reached the finals but fell short against Karmine Corp.

The early days of the NLC showcased more than just competitive gameplay. As the only ERL with an English broadcast, it became a breeding ground for broadcast talent, helping launch the careers of current LEC casters and hosts like Georgia "Troubleinc" Paras. The league also drew attention from fans and players alike, thanks to the involvement of organizations like Fnatic and Excel, which fielded strong, competitive rosters.

However, NLC's success was short-lived. Declining viewership and economic struggles, compounded by a lack of regional pride compared to its French or Spanish counterparts, led to a rapid downturn. By 2023, the league shrank from 10 to 8 teams, with several historic organizations departing, further exacerbating its decline. While newer teams like Ruddy Esports have since joined, the league struggled to recapture its former glory.

Today, the NLC is dominated by amateur organizations unable to compete for top talent against stronger ERLs. Still, the arrival of iconic European figures is poised to reignite interest and boost viewership. Additionally, the league is set to return to a 10-team format in 2025, ending a two-year stretch with only eight teams and signaling a potential resurgence.