Top 5 New LEC Players to Watch in 2026

After a very active LEC offseason in which many teams reshaped their rosters, competition resumes this Saturday, January 17. Before the teams face one another in LEC Versus for the first event of the season, Sheep Esports has decided to focus on the newcomers entering the LEC in 2026.

Whether they are rookies, imports who excelled in other leagues, or players rewarded after years of strong performances in the ERLs, many new profiles are joining the league. This is an opportunity to highlight the five most compelling names who will discover the European championship, considering only partner teams and therefore excluding Los Ratones and Karmine Corp Blue, who are participating solely in LEC Versus.

After three seasons in the LCS, Busio leaves North America to join Karmine Corp. Thanks to his Polish nationality, he will not count as an import within the team. After a lot of improvement over the years, Busio established himself as one of the best players in the world at his position, making him a major reinforcement for KC, who replaces Raphaël "Targamas" Crabbé with a multiple North American champion.

Karmine Corp’s second major change comes in the midlane with the arrival of kyeahoo from DRX. Seeking a Korean import to replace Vladimiros "Vladi" Kourtidis, KC ultimately turned to kyeahoo amid a wide range of possible profiles. At 20 years old, he will make his LEC debut as the organization places significant expectations on him to bring balance to the team and help fulfill both regional and international ambitions.

After two years of strong performances in the ERLs with Karmine Corp Blue, Maynter finally earns his chance in the LEC with Natus Vincere. The Ukrainian toplaner was forced to remain in ERLs for an additional year due to the situation in Ukraine and teams’ hesitation to take the risk of signing him. Nonetheless, over two years, he won the LFL three times and capped his journey by winning the 2025 Summer EMEA Masters. He now enters the main league as one of the most highly regarded ERL players, with a long-awaited opportunity to prove his full potential.

Shifters have chosen to place their trust in a new imported AD Carry for the upcoming season. Somewhat unexpectedly, Paduck joins Shifters to make his LEC debut. Despite a few attempts, he was never fully able to prove himself in the LCK with DRX and KT Rolster. He will now receive a new opportunity in the LEC within a team that has real expectations of him. His mission will also be to silence critics who consider him merely an average import entering the league.

The oldest confirmed signing of the offseason is Rhilech. The player signed with Natus Vincere before the start of last Summer Split, despite the presence of Francisco "Thayger" Mazo in the team. NAVI clearly placed considerable faith in the Turkish jungler, securing him early for 2026, as despite an interest from Fnatic who offered Iván "Razork" Martín in exchange, they still decided to retain him. After months of waiting, he will finally make his LEC debut in a roster largely composed of players who, like him, have developed in the LFL in recent years.

Five other players will also discover the LEC this year, including Panagiotis "Empyros" Tantis and Park "Lospa" Joon-hyeong, who join Fnatic. Consistent and effective in the ERLs last season, both arrive in a team that clearly needed renewal. A similar situation applies to Team Heretics, who brought in Tolga "Serin" Ölmez and Sebastian "Tracyn" Wojtoń. Finally, Josip "Jopa" Čančar joins SK Gaming alongside seasoned veterans and will attempt to replicate his strong LFL performances from his time with Vitality.Bee.