First brought forward on Wednesday by
co-streamer Kim "Wadid" Bae, the rumor quickly generated widespread reactions.
“Starting next year, the Berlin studio could disappear,” the former South Korean support claimed during a co-stream of the First Stand.
“From 2027 onward, all competitions could be played online, the Berlin studio might be completely shut down, and there may no longer be any in-person broadcasts. Perhaps they will still organize a few roadshows, but the current state of the LEC is not very good.”On Friday, Riot Games responded to these claims
in a statement to The Esports Radar.
“We’ve seen speculation about the future of the LEC and want to clarify that the LEC will continue to be played primarily at the Riot Games Arena in Berlin in 2027,” said Max Schmidt, Director of
League of Legends Esports EMEA.
“We will continue to evaluate and evolve our production approach, including formats like Roadtrips, select no-audience match days, and the potential for limited online play, to focus our efforts on the parts of the experience that matter most to fans.”The Berlin studio, which also hosts the VCT EMEA on other days of the week, will therefore remain the central hub of the LEC, at least for the coming year. While Europe’s top
League of Legends competition had been confined to the German capital for over a decade, Riot Games initiated a shift in 2025 with the introduction of Roadtrips.
and
were the first to adopt the concept, hosting events in Madrid and at the Arènes d’Évry-Courcouronnes, respectively.
In 2026, Riot Games further expanded this approach by increasing
the number of Roadtrips to five, once again centered around Movistar KOI and Karmine Corp, with three events for the Spanish organization and two for the French club. Another indication of the LEC’s gradual evolution, as alluded to by Max Schmidt, is Riot’s decision to remove live audiences from Monday regular-season matches during the Spring Split, primarily due to lower attendance. The LEC has previously been played online, but only under exceptional circumstances during the COVID-19 pandemic.
