New era begins: LEC Versus reshapes Europe’s League legacy

Europe’s top League of Legends competition is set for a major overhaul in 2026, as the LEC introducing one of its most significant format updates in recent years. 

The Winter Split will be replaced by a new event called LEC Versus, featuring all 10 partnered teams along with two invited teams from the EMEA Regional Leagues. One invitation will go to the 2025 EMEA Masters Summer Champion, while the other will reward a team with consistent performance across the season. 

LEC Versus will follow a 12-team single round robin in best-of-one matches, with the top eight moving on to a double-elimination playoff bracket. Early rounds will be best-of-three, while later stages will shift to best-of-five. The tournament winner earns a slot for the international First Stand event, though not a permanent place in the LEC. 

For Spring and Summer 2026, Riot Games is standardising the format to include only the 10 partner teams. Both splits will feature best-of-three round robins and best-of-five playoffs, with Spring sending two teams to MSI and Summer qualifying three for Worlds. Riot also plans to expand its “LEC Roadtrips,” bringing live events to different European cities and enhancing fan engagement. 

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