Jian “Uzi” Zi-Hao has officially announced the Uzi Cup, a League of Legends tournament organized in collaboration with the Huya streaming platform.
Uzi will be funding the one million RMB (approximately €125,000/$144,500) prize pool for the League event himself. The competition is set to run from March 14 through April 3, with open qualifiers kicking off in just a few days.
Will Uzi participate in the Uzi Cup?
Uzi first hinted at the tournament last month on stream, ruling out a professional comeback in favor of running his own event. Explaining the decision, he said, “A comeback is too much pressure, I want to make my own tournament.”
He also left the door open for his own participation, adding: “Everyone is welcome to sign up. I’ll pay out of my own pocket. If I can win the prize myself, that would be great, but I’m worried that very strong teams might register.” With five of the six teams being directly invited to the event, there’s a real possibility Uzi himself steps in as a competitor for his own share of the prize money.
Uzi Cup eligibility: Who can sign up?
Much like Huya’s existing Legend Cup series, the tournament is designed to give veteran players a competitive home. The central requirement is a team’s average age of 24 or older, verified by ID. Beyond age, applicants will be evaluated on their current in-game rank, past competitive experience, and personal influence.
Uzi Cup format Explained
The Uzi Cup is divided into three stages: open qualifiers, a group stage, and playoffs. The open qualifiers run from March 14 to 19, with a unique twist: teams will compete in anonymous draft mode, meaning identities are hidden and players must rely purely on skill rather than opponent-specific preparation.
Following the qualifiers, five teams will be assembled through a captain-led player draft on March 20, drawing from a pool of selected players plus the top four performers from the open qualifiers. The open qualifier winner earns a direct main event spot, bypassing the draft entirely, bringing the total field to six teams.
According to LPL Insider, the full tournament will use Fearless Draft, a format also used across the LPL. The early stage features best-of-one matches, quarterfinals and semifinals are best-of-three, and the grand final is a best-of-five.
Uzi Cup prize pool breakdown
The entire prize pool will be personally funded by Uzi, with the lion’s share going to the winning team:
- Champion: 660,000 RMB (~€82,523 / ~$95,395)
- Runner-up: 100,000 RMB (~€12,504 / ~$14,458)
- 3rd Place: 80,000 RMB (~€10,003 / ~$11,566)
- 4th–6th Place: 20,000 RMB each (~€2,501 / ~$2,892)
- Best Rookie: 50,000 RMB (~€6,252 / ~$7,229)
- Open Qualifier Champion: 50,000 RMB (~€6,252 / ~$7,229)
Registration is open now through March 13. All matches will be broadcast live on Uzi’s Huya stream, with the grand final taking place on April 3.
