Riot Reveals LCS 2026 Event Structures and Schedules

Daniel Davis Daniel Davis

Published: Nov 6, 2025

Riot Games has unveiled the competitive formats for the League of Legends Championship Series (LCS) in 2026, shared through a video presentation led by LCS Commissioner Mark Zimmerman.

Marking a return to its roots, the North American circuit is abandoning the LTA branding and structure it adopted just last year, opting instead to revive the classic LCS identity. Meanwhile, South America’s league will revert to its traditional CBLOL branding for 2026, severing ties with the merged NA-SA setup.

The Roster for LCS 2026

The revamped LCS will consist of eight competitive squads:

Note: Disguised holds the Guest Slot position, while the rest operate as established Partner Teams.

Kickoff with LCS Lock-In 2026

This tournament kicks off with a best of three (Bo3) Swiss style stage, where the top five performers advance directly to the playoffs. The sixth and seventh place finishers will face off in a tiebreaker match to claim the final playoff entry.

From there, a six team, all best of five (Bo5) playoff bracket awaits. Seeds one through four enter in the upper bracket, with the top seed granted the power to select their initial matchup among seeds two to four. The other two teams drop into the lower bracket, creating a hybrid elimination system: single elimination for seeds five and six, but double elimination for the elite top four.

Zimmerman highlighted that this setup will deliver 50% more matches in Split One compared to 2025, ramping up the action right out of the gate.

Spring and Summer Splits: Evolving Playoff Paths

For LCS Spring, the regular season unfolds as a Bo3 round robin, with the leading six teams progressing to the playoffs. The playoff format mirrors Lock In’s design: upper bracket entry for the top four, lower bracket starts for the rest, all in Bo5 contests.

The Spring Split victor and runner up will earn invitations to the 2026 Mid Season Invitational (MSI), League of Legends marquee mid year showdown.

LCS Summer keeps the top six qualification for Bo5 playoffs but introduces a twist for added drama. The number one and two seeds bypass Round 1, jumping straight to Round 2 of the upper bracket. Seeds four through six must battle from Round 1, after which the top seed picks its Round 2 adversary.

Unlike previous formats, Summer embraces a complete double elimination structure, giving every qualifier two chances to claw their way to victory. On the line: three qualification spots to Worlds 2026.

Zimmerman noted that additional updates are on the horizon, slated for early 2026 as the LCS fully transitions back to its standalone regional focus.

Some elements, like the promotion and relegation mechanics for Disguised’s Guest Slot, still need finalization. That said, the North American community appears relieved to reclaim its dedicated league following the rocky LTA experiment, which saw a sharp drop in English language audiences.

As the region emerges from a challenging chapter in its esports history, the big question lingers: Will longtime fans flock back to the LCS fold?

Daniel Davis
Daniel Davis

Since: October 29, 2025

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Hi, I’m Dan, an experienced esports journalist and author passionate about competitive gaming and digital culture. I specialize in titles like Counter Strike, Call of Duty, League of Legends, and Valorant. I’ve documented the rise of professional esports from local tournaments to global stages. With a sharp focus on player strategy, team chemistry, and the evolving industry landscape, I deliver in depth insight into the world’s most popular competitive games.

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