League of Legends Season 1 2026 begins: everything you need to know

The first season of 2026 League of Legends, “For Demacia,” is officially here. Riot Games is setting the tone early with major gameplay updates, visual changes, and a strong narrative focusing on one of Runeterra’s most recognizable regions. Season 1 began earlier today with the release of Patch 26.01, and it marked the start of a year that aims to refresh how the game feels while staying true to its core. Demacia’s influence will be impossible to miss on the Summoner’s Rift as it has received updated visuals inspired by the kingdom, including petricite turrets and gold accents throughout the map.

From a gameplay perspective, changes were made across multiple systems, starting from the new mechanic of Role Quests, which is being instantly updated to differ more clearly depending on the role you play. And while detailed information on the changes are yet to be released, you can read more about what Role Quests are in our article here.

The overall pace of matches is also being adjusted across Ranked, Normal games, and Swiftplay. Champion Select will move faster, and the first minion waves and jungle monsters will spawn earlier, leading to quicker openings and less downtime. New map elements such as Faelights and Crystalline Overgrowth are being added to Summoner’s Rift, adding more visual flavor and subtle gameplay interactions tied to the season’s theme.

Riot is also extending ARAM Mayhem due to positive player feedback, and a larger update to the mode is planned for Patch 26.03. Swiftplay and Ranked will also see updates, with more details shared in separate developer blogs.

Demacia’s season also introduces a new meta-game in League’s client called Demacia Rising, which allows players to experience the growth of Demacia from a small settlement into a “shining nation,” said Riot. This meta-game will evolve throughout the season with regular updates, and it ties directly into the narrative Riot is creating around Demacia. Motion comics will also be released over the course of the season to expand on this story and offer more context beyond the season’s cinematic—which left many questions unanswered.

Shyvana’s visual update will be released in the second act of this season, most likely around the end of February. Her human and dragon forms have been completely reworked visually, and while her abilities remain familiar, there are “minor kit changes” said Riot. Further details will be revealed in the coming weeks ahead of her release.

Much like the past seasons of 2025, Season 1 of 2026 is packed with cosmetic content, coming both in the Pass and in League’s shop. At the start of the season, Prestige Veiled Lady Morgana will be available, tying directly the in-game content directly with the season’s theme and cinematic. Later in the season, Prestige skins for Sona and Mordekaiser will follow. Act 2 of Season 1 will introduce a “darker side” to the Demacia-inspired skin set.

Starting with Patch 26.02, Briar and Samira will join the Battle Academia skin line, while Galio and Ornn will receive mecha anime-inspired skins. For the recurring Lunar Revel event, the Firecracker skin line returns, and it will be joined by a new thematic called Petals of Spring, created in collaboration with Wild Rift. Among the champions who’ll receive a skin there’s Lillia. Considering 2026 is the year of the Horse, according to the Chinese calendar, it wouldn’t be surprising to also see Hecarim being part of the Lunar Revel universe.

April Fools’ skins are also coming later in the season, but this time they will be standalone designs rather than part of a single theme. Revenant Reign Viego will arrive as a new Exalted skin through The Sanctum and Victorious Braum will be the Ranked reward for Season 1, which can be earned by players at any rank simply by playing Ranked games throughout the season.