LoL NACL 2026 Format, Schedule and Promotion
Riot Games has detailed the North American Challengers League (NACL) 2026 season, outlining its two split structure, key policy updates, and promotion pathways to Tier 1 LCS.
Season Format and Splits
The NACL returns in late March with Spring and Summer splits, aligning closely with the 2025 calendar to sync Tier 1 (LCS) and Tier 2 schedules.
Spring Split: Single Round Robin Best of 3 (Bo3) among 10 teams. Top 6 advance to double elimination playoffs, 9th and 10th face relegation in the promotion tournament.
Summer Split: Introduces a new “versus group” format for added competition variety.
Playoffs across both splits feature double elimination brackets, with top performers from the regular season receiving favorable seeding.
Top 2 teams per split advance to the LCS Promotion Tournament for a shot at Tier 1 guest slots.
Open Qualifiers and Promotion
A single open qualifier (OQ) runs during Spring Split. Top OQ teams challenge the bottom 2 Spring performers in the promotion tournament to claim the final 2 Summer spots. No Summer OQ next occurs at 2027’s start for roster refresh.
Six teams compete in Split 1 promotion: 2 lowest from prior split + 4 top OQ finishers.
Key Rule Changes
- Minimum Age: Drops to 16 (from 17) to ease entry for young talent.
- Buyout Cap: Maximum 6 months salary for player transfers.
- Full Fearless Drafts: Applied throughout for innovative series.
Detailed schedules and OQ sign-ups coming early 2026. These updates aim to streamline competition, boost accessibility, and solidify NACL as the path to pro.
Since: October 29, 2025
