Team Vitality disbands League of Legends academic division after 9 years in ERLs

After nine years in the EMEA Regional Leagues, joins the growing list of organizations that have withdrawn from the LEC’s second tier of competition. With ’s departure, only five of the ten LEC teams remain involved in the ecosystem, leaving fewer pathways for players to develop within the region’s top organizations and casting further doubt on the future of the system.

The LFL itself is also facing a difficult situation, with the future of France’s regional league hanging in the balance after its long-time organizer, Webedia, decided to withdraw. As things stand, there is still no news regarding what will happen to the league in 2027.

Earlier this week, another prominent team, , also announced that it would cease operations. With this latest announcement, half of the teams that competed in the 2026 LFL Summer Split are now confirmed not to return in 2027.

Despite having been involved since the LFL’s inception, Vitality.Bee’s departure had already been rumored on social media for several weeks. Furthermore, doubts about Vitality’s future in the ERLs had emerged last year, when the organization explored the possibility of merging with in an effort to share resources and cut costs.

Still, the future of Vitality’s involvement in the regional leagues could yet evolve. For now, however, the organization is taking a step back, particularly as the ERLs undergo significant changes and potentially face further restructuring. In a video, CEO Fabien “Neo” Devide notably commented: “It will take a little more time for the ecosystem to develop into something that satisfies us and allows us to reinvest in it.”

He then reiterated that having an academy team remained a core pillar of Vitality’s philosophy, but that maintaining one could not be justified for the time being. He also stressed that the organization would remain attentive to future opportunities, pointing to the number of players Vitality has promoted and helped develop for the LEC over the past nine years.

“Today, we need a little more time and perspective to see what the plans are for the medium term before we can fully reinvest in the scene,” he continued.

What lies ahead for the ERLs remains uncertain, with the ecosystem seemingly still in limbo as Riot waits for the current three-year licensing cycle with the 13 league organizers to conclude after 2027 before potentially making changes. Whether the publisher will ultimately decide that such changes are necessary remains to be seen.

What is certain, however, is that the regional leagues continue to lose ground, with fewer LEC organizations investing in player development and the future of the ecosystem looking increasingly uncertain. This comes as Riot removed the requirement for LEC teams to field academy rosters, amid growing financial pressures across the esports industry.