LCS is Returning in 2026 With Revamped Format

Riot Games announced a major restructuring of the League Championship Series (LCS) for the 2026 season, following the discontinuation of the League of Legends Championship of The Americas (LTA). On Nov. 6, Riot Games, Inc., formally announced the continuation of LCS with a new three-split structure, resembling the format of League of Legends EMEA Championship (LEC) 2026. 

Under the new structure, the LCS 2026 season will begin with the Swiss-stage LCS Lock-In on Jan. 24, 2026, followed by Spring and Summer splits with re-aligned formats. According to Mark Zimmerman, the overhaul is intended to refocus on regional competition to boost match volume, simplify viewing, and strengthen the North American League of Legends landscape. The LCS 2026 will feature six international spots, one for the First Stand Tournament, two for the Mid-Season Invitational (MSI), and three for the League of Legends World Championship (Worlds 2026).

The revamp is largely driven by the criticism and declining viewership record Riot faced during the experimental LTA 2025. LTA North Split 3 dropped 39% in peak and 21% in average versus LCS Summer 2024, highlighting the need to return to a more recognizable, region-specific league within its League of Legends (LoL) esports ecosystem.

LCS Lock-In 2026 and Swiss Stage Return

The 2026 season opens with the Lock-In tournament, commencing 24 January. The Lock-In stage will start with a best-of-three (BO3) Swiss stage spanning three weeks. This stage will seed the top six teams for a double-elimination playoff round. 

Teams ranked 1-5 automatically qualify, with the top four (3-0 and 2-1 records) teams directly advancing to playoffs within the upper bracket. Additionally, the top seed (3-0 teams) can choose its initial opponent from 2-1 teams (2nd and 3rd place holders). Teams ranked 6th and 7th face a tie-breaker for the final spot. The 5th and 6th place holders will start the playoff in the lower bracket.

The winner of the Lock-In stage will advance to the First Stand 2026. Additionally, Riot informed that the Lock-In will “have 50% more games than 2025,” underscoring a deeper engagement and a refocus on viewership metrics after the last LTA season.

LCS 2026 Spring and Summer Splits

After Lock-In, the league proceeds into Spring and then Summer splits. While both will feature a single-round-robin BO3 format, the Summer Split will differ from the Spring Split. 

In Spring, the top six teams advance to playoffs (best-of-five matches), and similar to the Lock-In stage, the top four teams will start in the upper bracket. The winner and runner-up of the LCS Spring will secure two spots for the MSI 2026.

While the Summer Split will start with the BO3 format, the playoffs will adopt a more extended lower bracket. Summer will feature a double-elimination bracket to give two chances to teams to secure one of the three qualification slots to the Worlds 2026. 

The format overhaul for LCS 2026 comes in parallel with changes at the LEC. With the re-aligned regional structures, Riot Games indicates a strategic emphasis on stable formats, increased match inventory, and synchronization of schedules in its global esports ecosystem.