Riot Games has announced an extensive revamp of the League of Legends EMEA Championship (LEC) for the 2026 season, kicking off with the launch of LEC Versus, a brand-new tournament.
Replacing the traditional Winter Split, the 2026 season will commence with LEC Versus, which will feature 12 teams including the 10 LEC partner organizations. Additionally, two top teams selected from the European regional leagues will join the event, fostering new rivalries across Europe and offering academy teams the opportunity to compete against top-tier opponents.
Confirmed to participate in the tournament is Los Ratones, a team with back-to-back EMEA Masters titles and three consecutive NLC championships. Furthermore, the champions of the 2025 EMEA Masters Summer will also receive an invitation.
LEC Versus will unfold in a single round robin format consisting of best-of-one matches, with the top eight teams proceeding to a double-elimination playoff. The intensity of the matches increases, as earlier rounds will be best-of-threes, while the final stages will switch to best-of-fives, ensuring that each team has a fair opportunity to defeat their opponents. The matches will take place at the Riot Games Arena located in Berlin, Germany.
The victorious team will secure Europe’s qualification for the First Stand event, which will mark the inaugural international competition among major regional champions next year.
Secondary or academy teams associated with the LEC will be eligible to participate in LEC Versus; however, Riot Games has stated that protocols will be implemented to uphold the integrity of the competition. Additionally, at least three of the original five players must remain on the roster to qualify for the new tournament.
After the invitational, both the Spring and Summer Splits will adopt the newly popularized 2025 format: a best-of-three single round robin leading into best-of-five playoffs. In response to community feedback regarding a confusing schedule, the developer is expanding the number of matches to better prepare teams for international play.
As in previous seasons, the finalists of the Spring Split will secure spots for the Mid-Season Invitational (MSI), while the top three teams in the Summer Split will qualify for Worlds 2026.
Moreover, Riot Games has announced the return of LEC Roadtrips, aiming to broaden fan engagement in new cities following the success of 2025’s events featuring Movistar KOI and Karmine Corp in Spain and France. More information about these road trips will be revealed on LEC’s social media channels shortly.
