Riot Reveals LCS 2026 Event Structures and Schedules
Riot Games has announced the competitive formats for the 2026 League of Legends Championship Series (LCS) in a video presentation led by LCS Commissioner Mark Zimmerman. The North American league returns to its classic LCS branding, moving away from the LTA structure introduced just last year. Likewise, South America will revert to its traditional CBLOL branding, ending the merged NA-SA format.
LCS 2026 Format Highlights
- Eight teams will compete, with Disguised holding the Guest Slot and the rest as Partner Teams.
- The tournament begins with a best-of-three (Bo3) Swiss stage; the top five teams advance directly to playoffs.
- The sixth and seventh place teams play a tiebreaker for the last playoff spot.
- Playoffs feature six teams in a best-of-five (Bo5) bracket.
- Seeds one through four start in the upper bracket, with the top seed choosing their first opponent among seeds two to four.
More Showdays ✅ Simple Formats ✅ All Bo3/Bo5 ✅
— LCS (@LCSOfficial) November 5, 2025
Key Changes
The return to classic branding seeks to simplify the event structure and strengthen the identity of the LCS. The split formats for Spring and Summer will continue, each offering spots for the World Championship.
This renewal aims for a streamlined, competitive experience with clear advancement paths and strategic choices for top-seeded teams.
Author’s summary: Riot Games restores traditional LCS and CBLOL identity for 2026, introducing an eight-team format with Swiss-stage qualifiers and strategic best-of-five playoffs enhancing competition clarity.