NLC returns with new leadership operator as GameWaves named tournament operator by Riot Games

After months of uncertainty surrounding the future of the NLC, Riot Games has officially appointed GameWaves as the league’s new tournament operator. Known for running the Road of Legends, the top League of Legends competition in the Benelux region, GameWaves now takes over an NLC desperately looking for stability after one of the most turbulent periods in its history.

Riot Games has also confirmed details for the return of the competition, with the NLC Spring Split set to begin on May 25th under a shortened format designed to align the league with the wider ERL schedule. Eight teams will compete in a single round robin Best-of-One stage followed by a seeded double-elimination playoff bracket.

The winner of the split will qualify for the EMEA Masters Spring Split as Northern Europe’s representative.

The league will also enter a broader transition period during 2026, as Riot moves the NLC toward a more decentralised structure focused on local leagues and regional ecosystems. From 2027 onward, the competition will go back to previous separate circuits: one for the Nordics and one for the UK & Ireland.

Back in March 2026, Riot confirmed that the league’s previous operator, Leagues.gg, was “no longer in a position to operate the league,” forcing the publisher to postpone the Spring Split while searching for a replacement. Since then, nearly two months have passed with little clarity around the future of one of the most watched ERL in League’s ecosystem.

Expectations for this new era of the NLC are extremely high, especially considering how dramatic the league’s rise and fall has been over the past year. In 2025, the competition experienced record-breaking attention largely driven by Los Ratones and Marc 'Caedrel' Lamont, bringing unprecedented viewership and visibility to the league. However, once the project departed, the NLC struggled to maintain that momentum. Viewership dropped heavily, criticism surrounding the format and competitive direction intensified, and confidence in the league’s leadership quickly deteriorated following months of public controversy.

The start of 2026 quickly turned into a difficult period for the NLC, as multiple broadcast talents, freelancers, and staff members began publicly sharing concerns about late payments, poor communication, and management issues involving Leagues.gg. Several people working around the league claimed they had waited months to receive payments, while others said they struggled to get clear answers regarding contracts, invoices, or future involvement in the project.

At the same time, viewers and community figures also criticised the league’s production and overall direction. Match days were regularly affected by delays and technical issues, while debates around the format and creator-focused approach became increasingly common following the departure of Los Ratones.

The situation escalated further in March 2026, when Riot Games announced that the league would be postponed while discussions took place to find a new operator for the competition. The Spring Split was delayed soon after, leaving teams, players, talent, and fans waiting for clarity on whether — and when — the NLC would return.

More details regarding the league’s format, schedule, and future plans are expected to be announced in the coming days.

GameWaves already operate another European Regional League, the Road of Legends. Originally from the Netherlands, they have managed the Benelux representative league since 2025. After a year and a half of growth in the region, including the organization of an eight-team, three-split competition, GameWaves are now expanding their portfolio by adding Northern Europe’s ERL, becoming operators of two different European Regional Leagues.