Caedrel’s team, Los Ratones, recently celebrated a victory at the NNO Cup, but their journey is just beginning. Starting in 2025, the team will compete in Europe’s Tier 2 professional League of Legends ecosystem, the European Regional Leagues (ERLs).

Los Ratones will represent the Nordic region next year, having secured a spot in the Northern League of Legends Championship (NLC). As one of two new expansion teams joining the league, they arrive during a pivotal period of restructuring for the NLC. With two players hailing from the region — Simon "Thebausffs" Hofverberg and Carl Martin Erik "Rekkles" Larsson — the roster meets the ERL requirement of at least two Locally Trained Representatives (LTRs) for a team to represent any ERL league.

Interestingly, Los Ratones could have also attempted to compete in the Esports Balkan League (EBL), where they fulfilled the LTR requirements with Tim "Nemesis" Lipovšek, Juš "Crownie" Marušič, and Veljko "Velja" Čamdžić.

For those unfamiliar with ERLs and the NLC, Europe’s secondary competitive ecosystem to the LEC, check out our beginner’s guide: What is the NLC?

NLC expands to 10 teams

The NLC is one of the many leagues seeing a wave of restructuring and consolidation throughout the greater LoL Esports ecosystem. Sources tell Sheep Esports that the NLC will expand from eight to ten teams in 2025 — one of those new spots will be acquired by Los Ratones. The other additional spot will be awarded to the winner of the Last Chance Qualifier (LCQ) between former NLC Division 2 teams.

As part of the ERL reforms for the next cycle in 2025, ERLs second tier divisions won't be mandatory anymore. Consequently, alongside a majority of the ERLs, the tournament organizers of the NLC have decided to drop their second division. Instead, national leagues of each participating country are expected to take the place of the NLC 2nd Division.

Currently, the NLC includes the following regions: UK & Ireland, Denmark, Finland, Norway, Sweden, and Iceland. While previously serving as the de facto 3rd Division of the NLC ecosystem, they will now function as the new Tier 2 competition.

More changes to the NLC

The NLC will be among the leagues adopting one of the biggest ecosystem changes to the ERLs in 2025 — players will be permitted to stream their in-game perspectives during official matches. This change was closely tied to Los Ratones' decision to join the league, since being allowed to stream their perspectives was a key condition for some members of the superstar roster before they signed on.

While specific formats for each ERL in 2025 have yet to be announced, all leagues will share a common structure: a three-split format. The NLC will adhere to this new standard as well.

As Los Ratones compete for a spot at the EMEA Masters, they face stiff competition. Ruddy Esports is assembling a strong lineup featuring stars like Marcin "Jankos" Jankowsk and Luka "Perkz" Perković. Meanwhile, sources suggest NORD Esports is forming a team centered around streamers, while Verdant is pursuing former LEC players to bolster its roster.

With the introduction of competitive streaming and the high-profile arrival of Los Ratones, the NLC has become increasingly appealing to both teams and players.

EDIT: Fixed a mistake where Crownie was listed as a resident from the Nordic region