League of Legends ranks explained: Complete tiers and ranking system breakdown

As one of the most popular video games in the world, it’s no surprise that there is a significant competitive mode in the Riot Games MOBA League of Legends. Competitive League of Legends is so huge that the League of Legends World Championships often draw in millions of viewers. 

If you want to find out more about the League of Legends ranks and how the competitive system works, then read on, as we’re going to dive into everything that you need to know. We’ll cover the LoL rank distribution system, as well as the various tiers and how to progress through the ranks. 

At the time of writing (September 2025), the League of Legends ranking system is made up of 10 distinct tiers. The League of Legends tier list is as follows, in ascending order: 

Within the Iron, Bronze, Silver, Gold, Platinum, Emerald and Diamond tiers, there are four divisions. These divisions are denoted by Roman numerals, with division IV (four) being the lowest and division I (one) being the highest. The Master, Grandmaster, and Challenger tiers do not have divisions. As these are the highest ranks, there are special rules to accommodate the higher-stakes nature of top-tier games. There are also two different queues in LoL ranked mode: Solo/Duo and Flex. These are two separate modes with two separate ranks. 

In the LoL ranking system, players make their way through divisions by obtaining League Points. When playing competitive games, players earn League Points, also known as LP. LP is earned when you win comp games, and lost when you are defeated. 

The exact amount of LP that is won and lost is directly connected to the player’s Match Making Rating, or MMR. Each player’s MMR is a hidden rating that is relative to the level of their rank. If a player has a high MMR in relation to their rank, they will lose less when losing a game and win more when victorious. The MMR rating also affects who you are paired with and who you face off against in comp games, ensuring that you are matched with players of a similar skill level. 

The win and loss rate changes depending on the tier of the player. Those in Iron, Bronze, Silver, Gold, and Platinum tiers have a baseline loss and gain of +25 LP. Those in Emerald tier and higher have a baseline loss and gain of +20 LP on average.  

It’s important to note that League of Legends players can only start playing ranked competitive mode once they reach level 30. If you aren’t quite at that level first, be sure to keep playing games and earning experience so you can try some comp games. 

The rank distribution in League of Legends fluctuates constantly due to the ever-changing nature of the game and the players. At the time of writing (September 2025), the stats suggest that the League of Legends rank order that most players are in is Silver, Gold and Bronze Tier. Take a look at the table below for more details, taken from the community platform League of Graphs. We’ve also included a separate table with the data for the current rank distribution in Draft Ranked Flex mode. 

As mentioned, this is subject to constant change due to the nature of LoL as an online, live service game. For now though, it seems like most Solo/Duo players are split between Gold and Silver while Flex players are mostly ranked at Silver. 

As is the case if you want to level up in any video game, ranking up fast in League of Legends requires practice, skill and learning as you go. Don’t expect to become an expert overnight. Take your time to learn the game mechanics, the different roles and the champions before you start trying to rank up quickly. 

Once you have some experience under your belt, pick a handful of champions – two or three, maybe four if you think you can manage that many – and start playing with them frequently to get used to their skill kits and how they can be played in a match. Make sure you pick a champion that resonates with you and you enjoy playing with. Considering the current meta of the game is important if you want to reach the higher League of Legends rank tiers, but don’t let this mindset lock you into a hero that you can’t get to grips with. Consider the meta, but opt for heroes that you feel comfortable with and are happy playing as. League of Legends tier lists can be useful if you are unsure of who to pick, as they rank the best heroes for each role in the game’s current state. 

Focus on some of the core elements of gameplay, such as positioning, last-hitting (getting the final hit in on a minion) and team communication. These fundamentals are gameplay elements that every player must be aware of, no matter what lane they are in or what position they are playing. When you’ve got the basics down, you can start getting into specifics with your chosen hero and role, such as skillshot accuracy for bottom laners and snipers or managing buffs for allies as a support. 

If you can, team up with people you are familiar with, or that you at least know are reliable players that you work well with. If you can’t communicate with your team with a mic, make sure to make use of the ping communication system and team chat. League of Legends can be tricky to master, but if you are willing to make the effort and take proactive steps in practising and reviewing your mistakes, you’ll start ranking up in no time. 

Rank decay does exist, but players don’t have to worry about it until they reach higher tiers in the competitive League of Legends ratings. Only those in Diamond tier and above have to deal with rank decay. 

Once you are within these tiers, you will need to put in more time and effort to ensure that you stay at the top. If you go too long without playing, you will begin to lose some LP every day. However, there is a system in place that gives players leeway when it comes to playing daily. That system is banked days. 

When you first enter Diamond rank, you will automatically receive a number of banked days, which are basically a time buffer of sorts set up before your rank starts to decay. Banked days are added with each ranked game played, and days when you don’t play LoL will count as a banked day.  

When your reserve of banked days is depleted, you will start to lose your LP. The amount of banked days you can earn with each match and the amount of LP you lose when your rank begins to decay will vary depending on the tier you are currently in. Take a look at the table below for all the info. 

Players who end up at 0 LP because of decay will fall into the previous division. If you’re already in the lowest division in your tier, you will be placed into the highest division of the previous tier. For instance, if you are in Master IV and lose enough LP, you will be demoted to Diamond I. 

That’s everything you need to know about ranks and tiers in League of Legends. LoL is notoriously a tough game to rank up in, especially when it comes to the rank decay regulations once you reach the higher tiers. However, if you are determined to do so and are willing to put in the time and effort, you’ll surely find yourself climbing the LoL ranks in no time.