Riot Games Funds $500,000 in Classroom Resources for Gaming’s Future Leaders and Creatives

In celebration of the League of Legends World Championship, Riot Games is supporting teachers with gaming and esports-related resources through DonorsChoose

New York, New York, Oct. 12, 2026 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- Today, national education nonprofit DonorsChoose announced their continued partnership with Riot Games, the game developer and publisher known for genre-defining games including League of Legends and VALORANT. In time for the League of Legends World Championship, the collaboration will support teachers who are inspiring the next generation of game developers, designers, and esports professionals.

This week, Riot will begin to fund $500,000 in gaming and esports-related resources for eligible DonorsChoose projects submitted by teachers in California, Texas, and New York public schools. Funding will be unlocked by market as the League of Legends World Championship progresses through each stage of the tournament, which starts with play-ins on October 15 at the Riot Games Arena in Los Angeles, continues with the Swiss stage, quarterfinals, and semifinals at Credit Union of Texas Event Center in Allen, Texas, and ends with the grand final on November 14 at Barclays Center in Brooklyn, New York. Then, on GivingTuesday (December 1), Riot will use remaining funds to run a nationwide donation match on DonorsChoose for any teacher’s project focused on gaming and esports, while funds last.

Teachers use gaming and esports-related resources not only to enhance overall student engagement in school, but also to integrate gaming into STEM lessons, cognitive skillbuilding, and conversations about career pathways focused on game design, esports, technology and the broader gaming industry.

"Students thrive when learning taps into their passions," said Alix Guerrier, CEO of DonorsChoose. "Riot Games continues to support public school teachers with resources to help students build peer connections and explore careers in STEM. This is a model for what it looks like to tap into a student’s potential."

Since 2023, Riot Games has funded over $1 million in gaming and esports-related resources for public school teachers on DonorsChoose. This collaboration with the education nonprofit is one of the many ways Riot has been supporting the next generation of designers, developers, and industry leaders to make a long-term impact. Riot is committed to continuing to work with organizations like DonorsChooseto help increase access to the gaming profession and push for greater representation in the industry.

“The heart of our partnership with DonorsChoose is pretty simple: give teachers more ways to help students discover what they’re capable of,” said Dylan Jadeja, CEO of Riot Games. “Games can be a meaningful part of that exploration—a starting point for learning how to create, problem-solve, work as a team, or even imagine a career they didn’t know was possible. As we bring Worlds to communities across the U.S. this year, we’re excited to support the teachers helping the next generation discover what they love and where it can take them.”

About DonorsChoose
DonorsChoose is an education nonprofit ensuring every US public school student has the classroom resources they need to learn, grow, and thrive. Founded by a teacher in 2000, DonorsChoose connects educators with a nationwide community of supporters who believe investing in students today will transform tomorrow. Educators request the materials they know their students need, and donors can choose the classroom, community, or cause they want to support. Since its founding, donors have supported 90% of US public schools. Every request is vetted, resources are delivered to classrooms, and donors can see the impact of their support through transparent reporting and updates from students and teachers. Raising $1.9 billion for classrooms, DonorsChoose has earned top ratings from Charity Navigator, GuideStar, and CharityWatch for their transparency, trust, and impact. Learn more at www.donorschoose.org.

About Riot Games
Riot Games was founded in 2006 to develop, publish, and support the most player-focused games in the world. In 2009, Riot released its debut title, League of Legends, which has gone on to be one of the most-played PC games in the world. In the years since, Riot has released VALORANT, Teamfight Tactics, Legends of Runeterra, League of Legends: Wild Rift, Riftbound and 2XKO. Riot's titles have led to the creation of some of the most-watched and widely recognized esports in the world, culminating in events like the League of Legends World Championship,VALORANT Champions and the TFT Open, which are watched by millions of fans each year. Riot has also expanded its IP through multimedia projects across music, comic books, board games, and Arcane, its Emmy-winning animated series.

About the World Championship
The League of Legends World Championship, also known as Worlds, is the pinnacle of LoL Esports competition in which the top teams from diverse regions compete for the world champion title. Held after the culmination of the regular season in a different host region each year, qualified teams from professional leagues around the world participate in the month-long tournament. It’s among the largest and most popular gaming and sporting events in the world.

Juan Brizuela
DonorsChoose
media@donorschoose.org

Emily Weisman
Riot Games
eweisman@riotgames.com