Riot Games unveils LEC 2026 Summer Finals in Nice, France

Nice, France, is set to host the 2026 LEC Summer Finals, as announced by Riot Games on July 8, succeeding last year’s Madrid roadshow. According to announcements posted on the LEC's social media accounts, the event will take place at the Palais Nikaia from September 18 to 20. The road show will feature the lower bracket semifinals, finals, and the LEC grand finals.

The last time Riot Games EMEA brought its summer roadshow to France was in 2023, when it hosted the Season Finals in Montpellier. Since then, the LEC has made a few other stops in France, notably in Évry-Courcouronnes, thanks to Karmine Corp, who are already planning to host the LEC for a second time at Les Arènes this year during the Spring Split, following a successful first event in 2025.

According to sources close to Sheep Esports, the announcement comes just two months before the finals because of the recent mayoral elections in Nice, which saw former mayor Christian Estrosi lose his seat to Éric Ciotti in March after nearly nine years in office. Due to differing policies and views on esports, the event, which was initially supposed to be locked in April, had to undergo several rounds of negotiations before finally being announced in September.

Though this will be the LEC’s first visit to one of France’s premier tourist destinations, Nice is a city that has historically been well established in the esports scene. Not only has it hosted the LFL Days in three consecutive editions from 2022 to 2024, but it also hosted EVO France 2025 and is already confirmed to host the event again this year, ahead of EVO France 2026 in October.

On top of this, in February, Nice was one of two cities aiming to position itself as a host of the 2028 Esports Nations Cup through France Esports. This strategy thus far reflects a clear effort by the city to appeal to younger demographics, as Nice and its surrounding municipalities are among the oldest in France in terms of average population age compared to similarly sized cities. For attendees, this also means experiencing a typical Mediterranean climate, with warm, sunny days around 20–25°C and slightly cooler evenings.

Riot Games has now confirmed that the LEC 2026 Summer Finals will take place at the Palais Nikaïa in Nice. The venue, which previously hosted two editions of the LFL Days, offers an official seated capacity ranging from 1,500 to 6,250 spectators, although it has welcomed more than 9,000 attendees in configurations including standing areas.

Another potential venue could have been the Acropolis' Palais des Expositions, which welcomed EVO France 2025. With an official capacity of up to 12,000 people, the venue would have represented a significantly larger option, although it would have required extensive adaptation to accommodate an esports arena setup.

By comparison, last year's Summer Finals venue, Madrid's Caja Mágica, could host up to 12,000 spectators. While attendance figures were never disclosed, the choice of Palais Nikaïa represents a notably smaller venue than both Caja Mágica and the Acropolis exhibition hall.

Fans looking to attend the 2026 LEC Summer Finals in Nice will soon have the opportunity to secure their seats. Registration for the Euronics pre-sale, which gives fans a chance to purchase tickets early, opens today. General sale tickets will then become available on July 10.

Per Riot, ticket prices will depend on the seating category selected. Friday and Saturday tickets will cost €49 for Category 1 seats and €35 for Category 2 seats, while Sunday Finals tickets will be priced at €69 for Category 1 and €50 for Category 2. Fans looking to attend the entire weekend can opt for a Category 1 Weekend Pass priced at €119, while the Category 1 Prestige Pass will be available for €249. The latter is a premium ticket introduced this year, which includes better seating, backstage tour, digital rewards, and a Dragonslayer Braum skin.