A custom game is the best way to play League of Legends with friends, your community or your team: you set the rules, the map and who plays. Here is how to create one in a few minutes.
What exactly is a custom game?
A custom game is a match you create yourself, outside Riot's normal matchmaking. You pick the map, the champion select mode, the number of players and optionally a password. Perfect for scrims, inhouse games, 1v1s or just a fun evening with friends.
Step by step in the LoL client
- Open the League of Legends client and click Play.
- Select the Custom Game tab.
- Click Create Custom Game.
- Pick your map: Summoner's Rift (classic 5v5) or Howling Abyss (ARAM).
- Pick the champion select: Blind Pick (fast), Draft Pick (with bans, like ranked) or Tournament Draft (for serious matches).
- Optionally set a password so only your players can join.
- Click Confirm — your lobby is ready.
Inviting players
In the lobby, invite friends from your friends list, or leave the room open with a password you share. Players spread across the blue and red side; spectators take the dedicated slots.
Not enough players? Two solutions
Option 1 — bots. You can fill empty spots with bots. Fine for testing something, but bots don't make a real match.
Option 2 — find real players. The eternal custom-game problem: you need ten and you are four. That is exactly why CustomLoL exists: create a lobby for free, set your level and schedule, and other players see it live and join. Also read our tips on finding players for your customs.
Settings worth knowing
- Tournament Draft gives each side 5 bans — a must for serious scrims.
- Spectator slots let a coach or caster watch (with a 3-minute delay).
- Custom games grant no XP or Blue Essence unless the match meets Riot's minimum requirements (enough human players, among others).
Common mistakes
- Picking Blind Pick for a serious match — use Tournament Draft.
- Forgetting the password and getting strangers in your scrim.
- Creating the lobby before you have enough players — gather your ten players first, for instance on CustomLoL, then create the client lobby.