The 2026
League of Legends Championship Series
(
LCS) Summer Split will kick off with a change from the current champion. According to sources close to
Sheep Esports,
will be subbing
out for the first two to three weeks of the third split of the North American season.
Jonathan “Armao" Armao, a North American staple, is the chosen one to replace the Polish superstar.
The last time we saw the North American jungler playing in the LCS was with
Immortals during the 2024 Summer Split. This will be Armao’s seventh team in the league, yet he will have a tough task of replacing Inspired’s leadership inside the Mexican Organization. LYON will open the season against
, one of the tougher opponents in the League.
Editorial note: Following the publication of this report, LYON and Inspired
officially confirmed the move. The Polish jungler explained that he needed to return home to Poland to handle personal matters, adding:
“I have some things to take care of in Poland. I’ll give more details about it in the future. Nothing bad, but I really need to be home right now.” Per the organization’s announcement and sources, Armao is expected to start for at least two to three weeks, though it is currently unknown if his stay could be extended, depending on how the situation unfolds, and per LYON’s decision.
Having had multiple years in the LCS, Armao is familiar with having to slot into a competitive team under sudden pressure. When he played for
’s Academy, the jungler had to substitute at the last minute for the main team before the start of the
2021 Mid-Season Showdown Finals. His arrival at LYON will have him meet his former TL Academy teammate,
.
LYON will begin its title defense on July 25 against FlyQuest, before facing
on August 2 and
on August 9. While their opening match represents a difficult challenge, the following two series should be more manageable even with a substitute jungler stepping in. With only one best-of-three scheduled per week during the split, LYON’s lighter schedule should also limit the impact of Inspired’s absence and give the team time to adjust before his return.
