League of Legends Esports 2026 season starts: key dates and what’s new for the year

Riot has officially launched the 2026 LoL Esports calendar, with regional leagues kicking off from mid-January and the first international tournament, First Stand, scheduled for 16–22 March in São Paulo.

 The 2026 season begins with staggered regional starts: LCK and LPL opened on 14 January, LCP on 16 January, LEC and CBLOL on 17 January, and the LCS followed on 24 January.
For North America, Riot’s season opener is Split 1 — the LCS Lock-In Tournament (24 January–1 March). It starts with three weeks of best-of-three Swiss play and then moves into a top-six, double-elimination playoff bracket played in best-of-five series, with the finals on 1 March at Riot Games Arena in Los Angeles. Crucially, the Lock-In winner qualifies for First Stand.
First Stand is positioned as the first global test of the year: it will run from 16–22 March in São Paulo (Riot Games Arena) and feature eight teams — two from LCK, two from LPL, and one each from LEC, LCS, CBLOL, and LCP — with every match played as a best-of-five. Riot also ties First Stand placement to MSI seeding, including a Play-In bye for the winning region.
Another notable 2026 change is the new “First Selection” approach, rolling out at the start of the season across regions: instead of only choosing side, teams can choose either side (blue/red) or draft pick order (first/second), with the opponent taking the remaining option.
Conclusion: Riot is pushing 2026 toward more series play (Bo3/Bo5), earlier international stakes, and format knobs that emphasize adaptation, which should make early-season results more “meaningful” for both fans and competitive narratives.