South Korea’s LCK Finals will remain on national television for three straight years. On Wednesday, Riot Games confirmed a two-year extension with broadcaster MBC, covering the 2026 and 2027 Grand Finals, after
last year’s landmark deal made 2025 the first LCK final to air on a major terrestrial channel.
The 2026 LCK Finals are set for Sunday, September 13 at 2:00 PM KST at the KSPO Dome in Seoul’s Olympic Park, with the Finals Qualifier taking place at the same venue on Saturday, September 12. MBC will again schedule the broadcast in a prime Sunday afternoon slot typically reserved for major sports such as the KBO League, underlining the league’s growing status as mainstream sports content.
A push to reach “all generations” of viewers
According to South Korean media
MyDaily, both sides say “
the extension is driven by a shared goal of positioning the LCK as premium content that multiple generations can enjoy together”. MBC plans to tailor its production for newcomers to the league, including an on-air team designed to help first-time viewers follow the storylines, alongside pre-event coverage on its sports news programs.
Ahn Hee-nam, head of MBC’s sports planning business team, highlighted the network’s ambition to build on last year’s experiment. “After the 2025 final, we saw that the LCK can work as premium sports content for families, not just a niche audience,” he said. “Through 2027, we want to use MBC’s production strengths and terrestrial reach to give existing fans a great live experience while making the broadcast easy to follow for people watching the LCK for the first time.”
LCK Secretary General Lee Jung-hoon echoed that sentiment, noting that the original 2025 deal was always meant as a stepping stone. “National TV has long been part of our plan to reach more fans and strengthen the competitiveness of our content,” he said. “Extending with MBC through 2027 should help spread awareness of LoL esports and connect with even more generations.”
