Riot Games Announces 2026 LCS Season Format
Riot Games has revealed the structure for the 2026 League Championship Series (LCS) season, marking the return of the LCS branding to North America after a year under the LTA branding. The announcement was made in a video by LCS Commissioner Mark Zimmerman, who shared updates and changes to the competition's format.
Season Start and Lock-In Event
The 2026 season will kick off on January 24th with the LCS Lock-In event. The first split will feature a best-of-three Swiss stage, where the top five teams will qualify directly for the playoffs. Teams finishing sixth and seventh will compete in a tie-breaker to secure the final playoff spot.
Playoff Structure and Seeding
The playoffs will begin with the top four teams entering the upper bracket. Notably, the top seed will have the strategic advantage of choosing their first opponent from the second to fourth seeds. The two remaining teams will start in the lower bracket.
Mark Zimmerman highlighted that the first split will "have 50% more games than 2025."
International Qualification
As in the previous year, the team winning the Lock-In will earn a spot in First Stand, the initial international tournament of the year.
Spring Split Format
The Spring 2026 split will begin with a best-of-three round robin group stage, which determines the six teams advancing to the playoffs. The playoffs will follow the same format as the Lock-In, with four teams starting in the upper bracket and two in the lower bracket.
Summary
The 2026 LCS season returns to its classic branding and features a more extensive competition schedule with a mix of Swiss stages, strategic playoff seeding, and opportunities for international play.