A major change is coming to the competitive
League of Legends scene in 2026 with the introduction of First Selection in the draft phase. During the draft, the team that would normally choose the side will now have the option to pick either the side or whether they want first or second pick. This system will be applied across all regions from the start of the competitive season.
Once the first team has made their choice, the second team can select from the remaining option. These changes aim to add strategic depth to the draft, whether related to team comfort, prepared strategies, or denying options to the opponent.
Comparison of Blue and Red Side stats
In the collective mindset, Blue Side is often—and rightly so—considered more advantageous, mainly because it allows the first pick of the most prioritized champions in the meta, although the introduction of Fearless Draft has tempered and balanced this.
For example,
at Worlds, there was a perfect balance with a 50% win rate for each side across 84 games, though Blue Side held a slight edge in securing first tower and first Baron, while Red Side had an advantage for first dragon.
At the Summer playoffs of the major leagues, here’s what the statistics show:
- Across 38 games in the LEC, win rates were nearly even, with a very slight advantage for Red Side.
- In the LTA Championship, 59% of games favored Blue Side.
- In the LPL, teams on Blue Side won 56% of games during the Grand Finals and 58% at the Regional Finals.
- The LCK is the league where Red Side was the most dominant, with a 65% win rate.
- In the LCP, 58% of games went in favor of the team on Red Side.
All of these statistics don’t mean much on their own, given how many factors can sway a game one way or the other—such as the skill gap between two teams, which can allow one team to win regardless of side. This is why only playoff games are considered, as they provide more relevant and meaningful results.
