LCK Shifts Weekend Matches to 5pm KST
Riot Games has adjusted the LCK weekend schedule, moving fixtures from their 3pm KST start to the standard 5pm KST, reversing a 2023 policy aimed at earlier finishes to accommodate other regions like the LEC.
This change prioritises growing global audiences, particularly in Europe, unifying all match starts for easier planning.
Time Zone Impacts
The League of Legends Champions Korea (LCK) has revised its weekend match schedule for the 2026 season, shifting start times from 3pm KST back to the traditional 5pm KST slot.
This adjustment reverses the 2023 decision to move games earlier to better accommodate European viewers, particularly those in the LEC region. For European fans in CET, matches now begin at a more reasonable 9am instead of 7am, allowing for additional sleep and easier viewing without early alarms. UK viewers (GMT) benefit from an 8am kickoff rather than 6am, while North American audiences face later starts 1am EST and 10pm PST making the change a clear prioritisation of the rapidly growing European audience alongside overall global viewership trends.
With no official Riot statement, but Korean media cites an unnamed source: “Global viewership has grown significantly in recent years, and considering various factors such as business aspects, we have set the weekend game time to 5 pm, which is the same as on weekdays.”
Europe’s rise ties to stars like T1’s Faker, boosting overseas engagement and prompting the business savvy tweak.
Season Kickoff Ahead
LCK 2026 launches January 9 with the Season Opening Invitational role shuffled exhibition teams.
Regular season starts January 14 via LCK Cup, pitting KT Rolster against DN SOOPers, featuring innovative coach comms at three 45 second intervals.
Since: October 29, 2025
