LEC Versus 2026 nears Winter 2025 group stage viewership peak despite regional drops

Significant changes are underway in the viewership of the 2026 League of Legends EMEA Championship (LEC) Versus. According to Esports Charts, the league hit a new peak last weekend, drawing 591,961 viewers during the first match of Day 2 in Week 4, featuring Los Ratones vs. Team Vitality. The match ended in a Rats’ defeat, later eliminating them from the playoffs after a series of tiebreakers.

While this viewership is nearly on par with the Winter 2025 group stage peak of 592,185—a marginal 0.3% decrease—the underlying shifts in audience trends tell a very different story. Beyond raw numbers, Los Ratones’ emergence became the defining narrative of the split, drawing attention not only to their matches but to the LEC as a whole.

Led by former caster turned content creator Marc "Caedrel" Lamont, Los Ratones have been the standout team in fan engagement this split. The team’s matches have boosted English-speaking viewership, averaging roughly 427,500 per match—far above the league’s overall average of 325,345—and signaling a shift in audience makeup away from the French-dominated viewership of previous seasons. The last day of the group stage, which marked their elimination, was the most-watched day on average, with three of six matches landing among the top five most-watched matches.

In 2025, Karmine Corp drove French viewership, claiming the five most-watched matches of the season. The KC vs. Movistar KOI matchup drew 592,185 viewers, the peak of the group stage—yet the same matchup in 2026 didn’t even reach the top five, highlighting a major change in audience interest.

The group stage format itself also shaped overall viewership. The inclusion of additional invited teams, such as Karmine Corp Blue, increased the total number of matches and extended the broadcast schedule. Despite this longer slate of games, average viewership per match remained stable, contributing to a 42% year-over-year increase in total hours watched.

The elimination of the league’s most popular team could affect playoff viewership. Despite a 90% chance to qualify before the final day, Los Ratones were knocked out due to tiebreakers. Caedrel announced a temporary hiatus following the shock elimination, and as the most popular LEC streamer—consistently exceeding official broadcasts and other co-streamers—his absence may impact later stages. Additionally, Los Ratones’ elimination caused uproar in their community, with many fans even calling to stop watching the league for the time being.

Beyond Los Ratones’ departure, Esports Charts also highlighted broader changes in audience composition. French viewership dropped 34.1%, while Spanish viewership fell 2.8%. Meanwhile, English-speaking viewership surged 84.9%, reflecting the structural shift driven by Los Ratones’ matches and co-stream coverage.

Despite these changes, the league has laid a strong foundation for the playoffs. Karmine Corp’s strong performances and potential qualification to First Stand may help reinvigorate interest, while the switch to best-of-three and best-of-five series promises more competitive and meaningful matches than the one-off group stage games. With narrative-driven storylines and an established audience, the LEC faces the knockout stage with potential to maintain viewership—but whether it can grow remains uncertain.