1. Ladder Rules

1.1. Challenging

In a ladder any participant may challenge any other. The challenge may be refused by the challenged if they choose. In ladders with more than 20 participants compulsory challenges are activated. If a participant is within 20 places above the challenging participants the refusal will be punished with one penalty point. If both participants are in the top 10 then the refusal will be punished with 2 penalty points.

A challenging participant from the newcomer pool (unranked) is considered as being at the bottom of the ladder, therefore the 20 participants ranked last in the ladder would be punished for rejecting a challenge.

Participants that have more than 5 outstanding challenges in a ladder, no matter if the matches are confirmed or not, may not take on any further challenges. This is scripted into the ESL system and cannot be changed.

1.2. No show

If your opponent does not show after 20 minutes, you must enter the result as your opponent did not appear in time. Do not enter a default win for yourself.

In Instant Challenger matches the no show time is 10 minutes.

1.3. Agreements

Certain agreements between participants are allowed to slightly differ from the ESL rules. Agreements that differ greatly from ESL rules are however not allowed. Please note that the ESL rules were made to ensure a fair match for all participants. You are not allowed to file a protest after the match if you think that the agreements made before the match in the end resulted in a disadvantage for your or your team.

Rules that can be changed with agreements are explicitly stated. Rules that do not explicitly state they can be changed by agreement, cannot have agreements made.

All arrangements between participants, made in addition to the ESL rules have to be written down in the match comments. The other participant has to confirm the arrangements also in the comments. To avoid abuse of the edit function, a third comment must be written.

Please also keep screenshots and/or logfiles of your arrangements. If you do not fulfil these requirements, any protests or supports concerning arrangements will be rejected.

The following rules may never be changed by arrangement: - Entering results for matches that have not been played - Allowing players to play that are barred because of penalty points, or are barred in the league due to a ban - Allowing players to play that in leagues with premium requirement that are barred for not having Premium - Allowing players to play without Wire Anti Cheat

1.4. Several squads (sub-teams) per team in one ladder

Any team may enter as many squads into any one ladder. However, only one squad can qualify for a premiership. A team is not allowed any more than one squad in a premiership.

During ladder play, no two squads from the same team are allowed to play each other.

2. Match Media

All match medias (screenshots, etc) must be kept for at least 14 days. In general, you should upload the match media from a match to the match page as soon as possible. Faking or manipulating match media is of course forbidden and will result in severe penalties. Match media should be named clearly based on what it is. It is not possible to file a protest or write a support ticket to complain about bad match media naming. However, if an admin is hindered in their work because of bad match media names then it can be punished for.

2.1. Screenshots

2.1.1. Score screenshot

• Only needed in matches played without the Tournament Code.
• A screenshot of the scoreboard at the end of each match must be taken and uploaded to the match page.
• Manipulating of a screenshot can lead into penalty points. (a) Warning(b) Hiding champions, items or statistics 1-2 penalty points. (c) Faking the result of a match 4-6 penalty points.

2.2. Missing Screenshots

• Matches played with the mandatory Tournament Code do not need any screenshots.
• A screenshot of the match result has to be uploaded after a match, if a match hasn't been played with the Tournament Code.
• A Missing screenshot can lead into penalty points for each team/player and the match could be deleted. (a) Warning (b) 1 penalty point for each team / player
  
• An incomplete screenshot can lead into 1 penalty point or warning for each team/player.

3. Settings

3.1. The Tournament Code

The Tournament Code has been created by the ESL in cooperation with Riot Games. It automates ESL tournaments. It creates a match lobby with the the right settings for a tournament match and reports the match statistics to the ESL servers. The Tournament Code is mandatory in all European Cups, Leagues and Tournaments, if it's provided. Only if there are unexpected problems, is it allowed not to use it. A started match without Tournament Code counts as agreement and later complains are not excepted.

3.2. Server

Client and Server All ESL Europe matches have to be played on Europe West, Europe Nordic & East or the Tournament Realm, if needed.

3.3. Map Settings

3.3.1. Classic

3.3.1.1. 5on5

Map : Summoners Rift (5on5 Map)

Teamsize : 5

Pickmode : Draft Mode

3.3.1.2. 3on3

Map : Twisted Treeline (3on3 Map)

Teamsize : 3

Pickmode : Draft Mode

3.3.1.3. 2on2

Map : Twisted Treeline (3on3 Map)

Teamsize : 2

Pickmode : Exclusive Open Pick

3.3.1.4. 1on1

Map : Twisted Treeline (3on3 Map)

Teamsize : 1

Pickmode : Blindpick

3.3.2. Proving Grounds

3.3.2.1. 5on5

Map : Proving Grounds

Teamsize : 5

Pickmode : Draft Mode or All Random

3.3.2.2. 3on3

Map : Proving Grounds

Teamsize : 3

Pickmode : Draft Mode or All Random

3.3.2.3. 2on2

Map : Proving Grounds

Teamsize : 2

Pickmode : Blind Pick, Draft Mode or All Random

3.3.2.4. 1on1

Map : Proving Grounds

Teamsize : 1

Pickmode : Blind Pick, Draft Mode or All Random

4. Match rules

4.1. Play Modes

4.1.1. Best of One

If not differently told for a Tournament or Ladder, can the higher ranked or higher seeded team decide, if they want 1st ban & pick in the match or not.

4.1.2. Best of Three

If not differently told for a Tournament or Ladder, can the higher ranked or higher seeded team decide, if they want 1st ban & pick in the 1st round of a match or not. In the 2nd round has the team 1st ban & pick which hadn't it in the 1st round of the match. In the case of a 1:1 after the 1st two rounds can the team with the faster winning time decide if they want have 1st ban & pick in the 3rd round or not.

4.2. Game preparations

Please resolve any problems that might occur before a match starts. Connection or Hardware Problems during a match could lead into a disqualification by ESL tournament admins.

• Agreements between the teams/players have to be posted as match comments.
• Make sure the match is played with the right settings, e.g. Draft Mode and Map.
• Make sure all players are eligible to play. In team games have all players of a team to be in the team. The usage of a team foreign player can lead into (a) warning. (b) disqualification. (c) 2-6 penalty points (d) regame, depending on the case. An ESL tournament admin will take further actions if there is a ringer suspicion.

4.2.1. Game Account / Summoner Name

All ESL League of Legends players need to have entered their most recent Summoner Name of the realm the tournament is played on. A wrong, missing or outdated Summoner Name can lead into (a) warning. (b) 1-3 penalty points, depending on the case. A simple case of wrong, missing or outdated Summoner Name does not lead into a disqualification or a regame in ESL Tournaments or Ladders, but the player has to update as soon it's known his Summoner Name is wrong, missing or outdated. An ESL tournament admin will take further actions if there is a ringer suspicion.

4.2.2. Choosing the game hoster

• Please always use the provided Tournament Code to create a match.
• In the case you have to play without the Tournament code, is it both teams of a match allowed to host the match, please send the game name and the password to your opponents, use the match comments or the match chat to get in contact. If a decision is needed, the lower ranked team can decide which side they want in a match.

4.2.3. Champion Bans

Each team can ban champions from the match, please check the league info of the specific ladder or cup. It's forbidden to play with a banned champion.

4.2.4. Champion Picks

Each team picks the champions before the match starts, please check the league info of the specific ladder or cup.

4.2.4.1. Playing with not picked champion

If a team starts with a not picked champion, the game has to be re hosted. It's not allowed to change any during the two matches for the new match, only the wrong champion has to be changed. The start in a match with a not picked champions will lead into 2 penalty points for the player and 3 penalty points for the team of the player.

4.2.5. Player Change

To change a player after the start of bans and picks is only allowed if both teams agree to.

4.2.6. Lineup

Please enter a lineup for each match. (Only in 3on3 and 5on5 games needed)

4.3. Ingame

4.3.1. Number of players

Matches should be played as example in 5on5 with 5 players, if a side is missing a player the match can be played, in cup or ladder matches, 4on5 or 4on4, but only if both teams agree to.

4.3.2. Player drops

After the disconnect of a player the game will continue, if a match is not played with the Tournament Draft Mode. He has to return as soon as possible back to the game and continue playing.

4.3.3. Pause Rule

In matches played with the Tournament Draft Mode is it forbidden to use the pause without an obvious reason like a player disconnect.

• In the case a player disconnects, is it allowed to use the pause after a short warning in all chat.
• In all other cases have both teams to agree to a pause of the game in all chat.
• To unpause a game is only allowed if both teams agree to in all chat.
• Abuse of the pause can lead into a disqualification. Screenshots of proofs of the abuse have to be taken and uploaded into the match.

4.3.4. Regame

Teams can agree to a regame, if they think it's needed to play a fair and balanced match or to solve technical problems.

4.3.5. Regame Rules

• A regame has to be played with the same picks and bans.
• In the case it's impossible for a player to join a started match, because of a bug which makes it impossible to connect to a match after bans & picks, has a regame to be made if a match not older then 1 minute. A screenshot as proof of a the bug has to be upload to the match.

4.3.6. Abortion of a match

If a team destroyed the nexus of its opponent or they surrendered, the match is over.

4.4. Illegal Actions

Any actions that result in an unfair advantage are illegal. This includes bug using of any kind.

4.5. Spectators

Spectators are allowed only if both teams agree. Exception to this rules are ESL tournament admins and people that are explicitly allowed to spectate by a tournament admin (e.g. shoutcasters or streamer). It can't be refused to invite an offical ESL caster ( e.g. ESL TV ), if an ESL tournament admin asks you for an invite.

Teams should only allow spectators they trust. It is not allowed to protest after a match to complain about spectators that were allowed in the game.

4.5.1. Casting

Casting an ESL match is only allowed with an ESL admin agreement. To get an agreement please write a Support ticket.

4.5.2. Personal Streaming

Personal Streaming is always allowed if ESL TV is not casting a match. If ESL TV is casting a match is personal streaming not allowed without an admin agreement. Personal Streaming of a match shown by ESL TV, without a permission from am ESL admin, can lead into a disqualification of the team or ban of the streaming player, in the tournament.

5. Penalty points

In general, a player and the team can receive up to 6 penalty points per match, unless a single violation has a higher punishment. A team is only punished once per violation, regardless of how many players. Where a player or team receives penalty points for multiple violations, the penalty points are added together.