Riot Games Announces 2026 LCS Season Format
Riot Games revealed the competitive format for the 2026 League Championship Series (LCS) season, signaling the return of the LCS branding in North America after a one-year hiatus under the LTA name.
Season Kickoff and Structure
The 2026 LCS season will kick off on January 24th with the LCS Lock-In event. The first split introduces a best-of-three Swiss stage where the top five teams will advance directly to playoffs. Teams finishing sixth and seventh will face a tie-breaker to claim the final playoff spot.
Playoff Format
- The top four teams enter the playoffs in the upper bracket.
- The first seed will have the strategic advantage of choosing their initial opponent from the second to fourth seeds.
- The remaining two teams start in the lower bracket.
LCS Commissioner Mark Zimmerman stated the first split will “have 50% more games than 2025.”
International Qualification
The winner of the Lock-In secures a qualification spot for First Stand, the first international tournament of the year.
Spring Split Format
The LCS Spring 2026 split begins with a best-of-three round robin group stage. The top six teams from this stage will qualify for the Spring playoffs, which follow the same format as the Lock-In playoffs, featuring four teams in the upper bracket and two in the lower bracket.
“The top four teams will begin the playoffs in the upper bracket, with the top seed having the ability to pick their first opponents from seeds two to four,” explained Mark Zimmerman.
Overall, the 2026 LCS season aims to increase competitive intensity by expanding the number of games and maintaining strategic elements in playoff seeding.
Summary: Riot Games' 2026 LCS season will feature a revamped format with more games, strategic playoff seeding, and a return to the LCS branding to enhance North American League of Legends competition.