© 2026 Riot Games. All Rights Reserved.
© 2026 Riot Games. All Rights Reserved.
We’re so back. With the LTA now sunset, the LCS returns in 2026 as a standalone league: leaner, cleaner, and ready to level up. DSG held onto its guest slot, Sentinels entered the fray, and a few structural tweaks have set the stage for a season built around simplicity, stability, and fans at the center of it all.
TL;DR:
The off-season saw some crazy roster moves and unexpected twists. For fans new and old, here are the eight organizations competing this year in the LCS:
Cloud9 (C9) - Some teams are built for a season. Cloud9 Kia is built to last. We’ve been here a long time, shaping League of Legends’ story since 2013 with stretches of dominance, bold personalities, and the kind of Cloud9 moments fans still bring up years later. Now, Thanatos, Blaber, APA, Zven, and Vulcan return with a fresh sense of perspective, guided by Inero and IWD: experienced, hungry, and locked in on the details that separate good from great. For long-time supporters, Cloud9 Kia rekindles that familiar spark of hope; for new fans, we’re an invitation to look up and aim higher. We’re a team with history you can feel, playing with heart and just enough chaos when it counts.
ROSTER
Top: Thanatos
Jungle: Blaber
Mid: APA
Bot: Zven
Support: Vulcan
Dignitas (DIG) - This year, come check out a newly refreshed DIG! With a renewed focus on team culture, transparency and accessibility, we’re flying a roster fighting for redemption and looking to win you over one victory at a time. FBI is looking to surprise on another slept on roster; Palafox and Ignar return aiming to change the minds of fans and show why they deserve their spot in the newly reforged LCS; Photon hits the rift for another split ready to take full advantage of new Top Lane Quests, and DIG fans can get excited for the return of a familiar face: we’ve squashed the beef with eXyu and he’s back to talk his split!
ROSTER
Top: Photon
Jungle: eXyu
Mid: Palafox
Bot: FBI
Support: Ignar
Disguised (DSG) - Disguised is charging into the LCS in 2026, and we’re bringing a roster built to turn heads. Fan favorites Castle and our master architect, coach Ido, return to anchor a squad that blends proven experience with fearless new talent. Lyonz is ready to guide our rookie ADC with Worlds-tested leadership in the bot lane. In mid, Callme arrives fresh off a dominant year in Turkey and EMEA Masters appearances, while KryRa, one of NA’s fastest-rising prospects, reunites with Ido to unleash his deep champion pool on the league. And rounding out the lineup is Sajed, a two-time NACL MVP whose mechanics and voice demand attention. This mix of veterans and breakout stars is built to surprise, built to scrap, and built to win. If you’re ready to ride with the LCS’s newest disruptors, get in. Disguised is just getting started.
ROSTER
Top: Castle
Jungle: KryRa
Mid: Callme
Bot: Sajed
Support: Lyonz
FlyQuest (FLY) - The last LCS and reigning LTA champions are starting their new era with an emphasis on showcasing their stars of today, with returning All-Pros Massu and Quad, while introducing the stars of tomorrow. We’re confident the LCS fanbase will rally behind top laner Gakgos, jungler Gryffinn, and support Cryogen, as FlyQuest debuts the youngest roster in Tier 1 history, eager to show the world how quickly they can push the big guns and begin defining their own legacy as the next gen of League talent.
ROSTER
Top: Gakgos
Jungle: Gryffinn
Mid: Quad
Bot: Massu
Support: Cryogen
LYON (LYON) - When your foundation is a coach who experiments and wins, the best Western player, the region's most talented mid laner, the return of an iconic ADC, the “Golden Boy” of the top plane, and a support ready to shine, you get the perfect recipe for the team that proudly carries the lion’s name. This is a squad that plays aggressively on the Rift, that creates nonstop action, and that’s hunting for its first LCS title. And with LYON’s historic identity behind them, they’re stepping into 2026 determined to roar louder than anyone else.
ROSTER
Top: Zamudo
Jungle: Inspired
Mid: Saint
Bot: Berserker
Support: Isles
Sentinels (SEN) - Your favorite player's favorite team, Sentinels, dominate the esports scene globally with the most viewership, the loudest fans, and dozens of teams lining up to be their rival. Sentinels are entering the LCS to shake things up with a diehard focus on player personality and fan activation. Wherever you are, cheer for Sentinels and you'll instantly find a home in the sea of red that is "SEN City.” If you haven't heard of Sentinels yet, you haven't been paying attention.
ROSTER
Top: Impact
Jungle: HamBak
Mid: DARKWINGS
Bot: Rahel
Support: huhi
Shopify Rebellion (SR) - We're Shopify Rebellion: North America's underdog with a point to prove. It's about time NA had a new face to call home. We thrive on challenging the best, elevating the competition both on and off the rift, and providing an unrivaled fan experience with some of the biggest names in gaming. We're a community-first team that looks to provide fans with some of the best in-person experiences and an unrivalled behind-the-scenes look at our players for those watching from home. Become part of the Rebellion today! #SRWIN
ROSTER
Top: Fudge
Jungle: Contractz
Mid: Zinie
Bot: Bvoy
Support: Ceos
Team Liquid (TL) - LCS is back and so is Team Liquid, with a new naming rights partner; Introducing Team Liquid Alienware! We're the most fun team in the league; on and off the rift. CoreJJ and Yeon enter their 4th year as a duo and are not slowing down, especially with the addition of Quid, Josedeodo, and Lord Morgan. Expect high fidelity content with support from Alienware, starting with the return of a HUGE former LCS champion as a content creator. For LATAM fans, we'll give you so much Jose. The LCS should prepare to fall in love with Morgan and his hilarious personality. And be ready to get absolutely destroyed by Quid. This team was assembled to carry LCS competitively and in content.
ROSTER
Top: Morgan
Jungle: Josedeodo
Mid: Quid
Bot: Yeon
Support: CoreJJ
The 2026 LCS season is structured across three streamlined Splits, each designed to deliver a clearer, more intuitive competitive experience. For the first time since 2022, the LCS and LEC will operate with nearly identical formats, making it easier than ever for fans across the West to follow their favorite teams and storylines all year long.
Split 1: LCS Lock-In Tournament (January 24-March 1) - Split 1 kicks off with the LCS Lock-In Tournament, where the winner earns a spot at the First Stand Tournament in São Paulo. The stage opens with three weeks of best-of-three Swiss play before moving into a top-six, double-elimination, best-of-five bracket. Swiss results determine seeding: the 3–0 team selects its upper-bracket opponent, the 0–3 team is eliminated, one 1–2 team auto-advances based on game record, and the remaining two play an Elimination Match for the final slot. With more than 50% more games than in 2025, Lock-In sets an immediate high bar for the season. The LCS Lock-In Finals will be held March 1 in the Riot Games Arena in Los Angeles.
Tune in at 8 am PT January 13 for the LCS Draw Show, and join us for LCS Opening Week Presented by Mastercard January 24-25! Ticket sales for the LCS Lock-In Tournament are live now, with playoffs tickets coming at a later date. As with Split 1 last year, only some weekends will have tickets available. See more on the why below.
Split 2: Spring Split (April 4-June 14) - Spring Split features a best-of-three round-robin that leads into a top-six playoff bracket. The playoffs mirror the Lock-In structure with a double-elimination format, and the stakes are high: the top two teams will qualify for the Mid-Season Invitational (MSI) in Daejeon, South Korea, representing the LCS on the international stage.
Split 3: Summer Split (July 25-October) - And finally, Summer Split will qualify the top three teams to the World Championship (Worlds) in our home region: North America! Summer Split closes out the year with a best-of-three round-robin feeding into a top-six playoff bracket. The postseason follows the 2024 Summer format, featuring an expanded lower-bracket gauntlet to ensure the region’s strongest teams rise to the top. And, of course, the LCS Championship will crown the best in the West – stay tuned for more details later.
We know the hype that Road Shows bring to a region (looking at you, LEC and LCK). Our goal is to host more events outside Los Angeles while also increasing the number of showdays across the year to create a beefier format. To make this possible, we will rebalance operations by having some of the new days in the FaceOff studio and only reduce the number of in-person show days by three across the year. The FaceOff stage will be used to redirect resources toward regional events. Opening Weekends and Playoffs will remain live in front of audiences in Los Angeles, but the broader goal is to bring the LCS to fans in more cities, more often. Fan feedback will guide how this roadshow strategy evolves, so let us know what you think.
Even with the LTA era behind us, the LCS and CBLOL are doubling down on creating ways to push competitive development. First up is the new Americas Cup, landing the week before First Stand, where the second- and third-place teams from LCS and CBLOL will face off at the Riot Games Arena in São Paulo in front of a live audience to spark early-season rivalry. The tournament will be an action-packed five-day event, with the first round of matches in the Upper Bracket being Bo3, and all other matches being Bo5. What’s the prize, you ask? Bootcamps.
Last year’s MSI bootcamp, which brought LTA South teams to Los Angeles, proved to be a strong success, and the program will expand in 2026. Riot will provide fully funded bootcamps in Korea during MSI for the third-place LCS team from Spring, the second- and third-place teams from CBLOL, and the winner of the Americas Cup. If a team qualifies through multiple paths, either by MSI qualification or Spring placement, the additional bootcamp slot will be awarded to their league. In total, up to four LCS teams may train in Korea during MSI.
This Americas-focused approach is a key part of strengthening regional competitiveness and growing fandom across leagues, and feedback from teams and fans will continue to guide how the program evolves.
The LTA Fantasy app will be updated and split regionally for the LCS and CBLOL. The (now) LCS fantasy app will be morphed into a comprehensive hub featuring schedules, standings, content, and fantasy integration in one place. System-wide improvements will introduce achievements and new engagement opportunities throughout the week. We’re seeing this as a home for LCS fans everywhere. Check it out on January 19!
In case you missed it, NACL is also back in action with new additions in 2026. With a revamped Summer Split format featuring a Group Stage for the very first time, the path to the LCS Promotion Tournament will be stronger than ever. Tier 2 is also introducing several key policy updates, including a restructured Global Contract Database and a lower age requirement. Make sure to stay tuned for more information as the season kicks off in late March!
The LCS enters 2026 with a clear mission: give fans more. More teams at international events, more roadshows, more cross-regional play, and more ways to stay connected with the league. Stay tuned for more updates, and follow us on socials!
X: LCSOfficial
Twitch: LCS
Instagram: LCSOfficial
Threads: LCSOfficial
YouTube: LCS
TikTok: LCSOfficial
Flickr: LCSOfficial
