On Wednesday, Championship Series (LCS) Commissioner Mark “MarkZ” Zimmerman has unveiled the format for the upcoming 2026 season. Lock-In Tournament will be ready to kick off on January 24, 2026, with eight teams looking to crown a new champion.

All splits will stray away from B01s, ensuring "more excitement" and more matches, according to Riot. For the first time in three years, both LCS and LEC will share formats for the middle and last split. This change strives to make it simpler for Western fans to follow both leagues closely.

Split 1 will be renamed back to Lock-In Tournament and sends the champion to First Stand. The format will now feature a three-week Swiss stage where the top 5 teams, plus the winner of a Last Chance Qualifier, will advance to a six-team bracket double elimination playoffs. These changes guarantee over 50% more games than 2025.

Spring and Summer are back

A name change and Lock-In Tournament aren't the only changes we’re getting. Split 2 and Split 3 will also be renamed back to Spring and Summer respectively. Both splits will run a single round robin B03, but each will have a different playoff format.

Spring Split will follow Lock-In’s playoffs, with a double elimination Top 6 bracket where the champion and the runner-up will represent North America at MSI. 2026 Summer Split will feature an extensive loser’s bracket gauntlet mirroring 2024’s format. This will ensure the best three teams qualify to Worlds on home soil.

MarkZ slightly teased fans to stay tuned as they finalize the last changes. These changes will be revealed during the LCS Address at the start of next year.