League of Legends

At the core of our ecosystem are the regional leagues, the foundation where talent thrives and competition flourishes. In 2026, we will feature six distinct regional leagues, competing in three annual splits. All regions will compete in the First Stand Tournament (FST) at the end of the first split of the season. A second split will qualify teams for the Mid-Season Invitational (MSI). The third and final split in each region will culminate in a Regional Championship, crowning the final champion of the season. This streamlined structure connects the regional splits for a yearlong journey, raising the stakes of regular-season matches and building up to the World Championship, the biggest esports event of the year.

Campeonato Brasileiro de League of Legends (CBLOL): CBLOL is the premier League of Legends competition in South America. Based in São Paulo, the CBLOL features seven partner teams and one Guest team. With three seasonal splits played on live patches that determine qualification for global LoL Esports events, the CBLOL delivers high-stakes competition and dynamic innovations designed to energize fans and foster competitive development across the region.

League of Legends Champions Korea (LCK): Based in Seoul, the LCK features ten teams renowned for their high-level gameplay. As with all other leagues, the LCK will operate in three splits, offering an action packed competition to crown the regional champion. Teams qualify for FST, MSI and Worlds through their play off performances.

League of Legends Championship Pacific (LCP): With matches hosted in Taipei, the LCP brings together teams from locations across Vietnam, Taiwan, Hong Kong, Macao, Japan and Southeast Asia in an 8-team hybrid partnership model. This structure combines stability with the excitement of promotion and relegation, intensifying competition across the APAC region.

League of Legends Championship Series (LCS): Founded in 2013, the League of Legends Championship Series (LCS) stands as the pinnacle of professional League of Legends competition in North and Central America. The LCS is headquartered in Los Angeles and is home to 8 teams: seven Partner teams and one Guest team who were promoted from Tier 2, reinforcing a seamless path to pro for the next generation of stars.

League of Legends EMEA Championship (LEC): The LEC, based in Berlin, represents Europe, the Middle East, and Africa. Its 10 teams face off in three splits, pursuing the LEC title and qualification for FST, MSI, and Worlds, bringing diverse competition and high-level play to the EMEA region.

League of Legends Pro League (LPL): LPL (League of Legends Pro League), as the top-level League of Legends esports league in Mainland China, featuring 14 teams, is the only competition in Mainland China, for esports teams to advance to FST, MSI and Worlds every year. There are three Splits for each year’s LPL, and each split will be divided into Regular Split as well as Playoffs. The teams competing in Playoffs will face fierce competition for the Final honor and grand prize.

First Stand Tournament (FST)

In 2026, FST returns for its second year - this time hosted in Brazil at the end of the first split. Building on the foundation established in its debut season, the event will again feature formats such as Fearless Draft, which removes previously played champions from the remainder of a series and encourages deeper strategic adaptation. FST will include two teams from each of the top two regions from Worlds 2025 for a total of 8 teams, with all other regions sending one representative, creating a competitive field that showcases global strength while maintaining broad regional participation. 

Mid-Season Invitational (MSI)

The Mid-Season Invitational (MSI) is a high-stakes showdown where only the best of the best will emerge. This tournament, which bridges the gap between the spring and summer splits, offers more than just the title and recognition, it’s a critical opportunity for teams and regions to gain an advantage heading into Worlds. 

MSI 2026 will feature 11 teams from six major leagues: two each from LCK, LCS, LEC, LCP and LPL, and one from CBLOL. Each of these leagues will send their top team(s) to represent their region, ensuring that only the best talent from each corner of the globe will compete.

The road to becoming the MSI Champion will unfold across two stages. The tournament begins with a Play-In Stage, where four of the eleven  teams will battle it out. Only the top one team from this stage will advance to the Bracket Stage, joining seven pre-qualified teams in a showdown that will ultimately crown the MSI Champion.

The MSI Champion will earn a guaranteed slot at Worlds, provided they meet the competitive requirement in the summer split set by the regional league. This additional Worlds slot serves as a powerful motivator, allowing the champion team to focus on refining their performance for the year’s ultimate competition. Additionally, the region of the MSI runner-up will also gain an extra slot at Worlds, boosting its representation and giving another team a shot at international glory.

World Championship (Worlds)

The League of Legends World Championship is the pinnacle of LoL Esports. Worlds 2026, hosted in the USA, will showcase a total of 17 teams competing for the title of world champion. 

A total of 18 participating teams will be allocated through regional slots, with LCK, LCP LCS, LEC, and LPL each receiving three, and CBLOL receiving one. The two remaining slots are awarded based on performance at the Mid-Season Invitational (MSI), making the total number of participating teams to be 18.  This structure maintains global representation while rewarding top performance, ensuring that the strongest regions and teams are well-represented on the world stage.

Four of the participating teams will compete in the Play Ins Stage, with the top two teams advancing to the Swiss Stage.

The Swiss Stage will feature a five-round, Swiss-style format, in which teams with the same win-loss record will compete against each other until they achieve three wins or three losses. Matches that determine advancement or elimination will be best-of-three, while the others will be best-of-one. 

The Knockout Stage will feature eight teams that qualify from the Swiss Stage. Based on their placement in Swiss, they will be drawn into a best-of-five single elimination bracket. This bracket includes Quarterfinals, Semifinals, and Finals and will determine the 2026 World Champion.

Worlds is the most widely viewed and followed esports tournament and is among the world's largest and most popular gaming and sporting events. With more than a decade’s worth of champions, we’re excited for many more years of the best of the best battling it out on the Worlds stage.

Our vibrant Tier 2 ecosystem offers structured competitive environments for amateur and semi-professional players, fostering the next generation of talent. Operating on a global scale, this ecosystem includes regional leagues such as:

• Circuito Desafiante (CD)

• China’s League of Legends Development League (LDL)

• EMEA 13 Regional Leagues (ERLs), EMEA Masters, and Game Changers

• League of Legends Champions Korea Challengers League (LCKCL)

• League of Legends Japan League (LJL)

• Liga Regional Norte (LRN)

• Liga Regional Su (LRS)

• North American Challengers League (NACL)

• Pacific Championship Series (PCS); and

• Vietnam Championship Series (VCS)

These leagues serve as localized entry points for aspiring professionals, creating a sustainable pipeline of talent for the future.