© 2026 Riot Games. All Rights Reserved.
© 2026 Riot Games. All Rights Reserved.
Welcome to the LCS Promotion Tournament! Tier-2 teams have been battling throughout the year where only one challenge remains. The stakes couldn’t be higher as the LCS Promotion Tournament will determine which team earns the coveted LCS Guest Slot for the 2027 season. Only the top two NACL and LRN teams will advance to face the defending Guest Team, Disguised. Disguised successfully fought off all opposing challengers in 2026. The question is, can they do it again?
Across seven days, all five teams will compete in a double-elimination bracket featuring Full Fearless, First Selection, Best-of-Fives. The defending Guest Team will enter with a bracket advantage but must still win their spot—no automatic requalification. All matches begin at 1pm PDT.
This year, we’re thrilled to partner with LYON to produce the LCS Promotion Tournament fresh off of the LCS Homegrounds. The first six days of the tournament will be played remotely similar to last year, but we’re excited to introduce a live audience LAN Finals hosted by LYON at the Arena Esports Stadium at CINEMEX Artz Pedregal in Mexico City, Mexico. In order to ensure a competitive tournament during the remote stage, LRN teams, where necessary, will be provided flights, hotels, and practice rooms in Mexico City for the duration of the tournament.
The tournament winner secures the LCS Guest Slot, granting the right to compete in the LCS and qualify for major global events, including First Stand, MSI, and Worlds. The Guest Slot also comes with financial support: an operating stipend, access to the Global Revenue Pool from LoL Esports in-game content sales, and the same business model benefits as Tier-1 teams.
To catch all of the action live, stay tuned starting October 5 on Twitch.tv/LCS and YouTube.com/@LCS.
In case you missed it, we also recently announced a brand new international Tier-2 Tournament called the World Star Challengers Invitational. The article has the full tournament details, but we’re excited to provide the NACL Summer Split Champion a qualification spot as the Tier-2 representative from North America.
Other Americas Tier-2 representatives from Latin American and Brazil will also be provided one qualification spot each, totaling 3 spots across the Americas. In support of the event, the qualifying Tier-2 teams will have all of their logistical costs covered by Riot including practice rooms, flights, and hotels.
Broadcast coverage of the event will be provided through local co-streamers to ensure fans can support their regional Tier-2 team as they take on the international stage. Make sure to tune in starting September 20.
