Despite being the most popular and successful ERL in the EMEA region, the LFL will implement a spending cap to improve teams’ financial stability.
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LFL teams will have a limited spending budget for the upcoming season
According to a report by Sheep Esports, the LFL teams have been in discussion with Webedia, the company that operates the French League, to introduce a salary cap. With the goal of controlling spending, teams hope to ensure better stability and long-term sustainability for the greater good of the esports ecosystem in the French scene.
The cap was initially considered to be €300,000 but it was later reduced to €250,000. The cap is currently only considered for the 5 players on the starting lineup, with substitutes and additional members such as coaching staff excluded from such total.
Based on the report by Sheep, the spending cap seems to be a “gentleman’s agreement” rather than a fully-fledged regulation such as the ones implemented in major leagues such as the LCK or LPL.
Consequences of the salary cap for teams and players
With the salary cap in place, LFL players’ salaries have been affected, with top-tier players signing at a maximum of around €50,000. Lower numbers are likely to be seen in lower-tier teams.
Some of the top teams are going to be affected as they were reportedly exceeding the €250,000 limit, one of them being Team BDS Academy. While the team will have to spend less, academy teams in the LFL will still have higher prestige given their ties to the main teams in the LEC and potential promotion opportunities for the performing members.
On the other hand, though, the LFL should have a more balanced competition since salary won’t be such an important factor in the roster-building process. Most of the teams have completed or have nearly confirmed all their lineups. The 10 teams competing in the 2025 LFL will be:
- Team BDS Academy
- Karmine Corp Blue
- BK ROG Esports
- Vitality.Bee
- Team GO
- Gentle Mates
- Solary
- GameWard
- Team Du Sud
- Ici Japon Corp