For a region that produced one of the most decorated teams in League of Legends history, the Commonwealth of Independent States (CIS) often found itself getting the short end of the stick when it came to esports competition.

Even Moscow Five and Gambit Gaming, the Russian-based team that was once perhaps the best in the world, struggled to compete in the League Championship Series (LCS), bogged down by visa issues that forced a prohibitive travel schedule. Those issues have kept many talented players from other CIS nations locked in their own competitive world despite their proximity to the Europe and the EU LCS.

Today, however, Riot announced its new Continental League (LCL), CIS teams and players will finally have a place to call home.

The LCL will serve as the CIS region’s answer to the LCS and other similar leagues in regions worldwide, like Brazil’s CBLOL and the Turkish Champion’s League (TCL). The Continental League will feature eight teams in the region competing in a two-split season with a prize of 4.5 million rubles, or more than $60,000. In addition, Riot will provide monetary compensation to players and coaches competing in the league. Each team will also receive a housing grant to afford them the opportunity to rent a gaming house to train together.

Matches will be broadcast on Twitch from a Riot Games studio in Moscow on Saturday and Sunday, but the competitors won’t be playing there. The regular season will be played entirely online culminating in a LAN playoff.

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