Riot Games is preparing unprecedented format changes for 2026, sources revealed to Sheep Esports. Instead of the Winter Split, a brand-new competition featuring twelve teams will be introduced. This new Kickoff Tournament will include all ten regular LEC teams, as well as two squads from the ERL ecosystem: the best-performing team across the year at the EMEA Masters and the upcoming EMEA Masters Summer Champions.
Marc "Caedrel" Lamont’s team, Los Ratones, has already established itself as the most dominant team in the ERL system. After winning all three NLC splits and claiming the first two EMEA Masters titles in Winter and Spring 2025, they have already secured an invitation to the tournament. Should Los Ratones also win the Summer Split, their slot would then be awarded to their opponent in the final.
The winner of the Kickoff Tournament will qualify for The First Stand, Riot Games’ first international event of the year, scheduled to take place in Brazil in 2026. This means an ERL team could, in theory, earn a place at an international competition and face off against champions from other major regions. For context, The First Stand debuted in 2025, where Hanwha Life Esports defeated Karmine Corp in the grand final in South Korea.
Unanswered Questions and Future Format
According to our sources, teams set to compete in EMEA Masters have not yet been informed of these changes. It also remains unclear what would happen if an academy team (Karmine Corp Blue, Vitality.Bee, GIANTX Pride, or Los Heretics) were to claim one of the slots.
The Spring and Summer Splits of the LEC will return to the traditional ten-team lineup, featuring a more standard format and considered the main LEC season. Other Tier 1 leagues, such as the LTA and LCP, have already experimented with temporary guest spots for Tier 2 teams, which they need to fight for at the end of the year in a promotion tournament.
With this new format, Riot Games is attempting something similar in the LEC by adding two extra teams in a unique tournament. The idea of having ERL teams compete directly with LEC teams for Worlds qualification was also discussed, but declined by LEC organizations, who argued it would devalue their guaranteed spots. However, further integration can be expected in the future.
With roster changes on the horizon for 2026, stay tuned to our
Transfers Hub for all the updates on the twelve teams set to compete in Tier 1 next year. Explore our
homepage for daily news.
Header Photo Credit: Michal Konkol/Riot Games
