The Northern
League of Legends Championship will come to an end starting in 2027. Riot Games has announced last May that the NLC will be split into two separate leagues: the first will feature teams from the UK and Ireland, while the second will be home to teams from the Nordic countries, Denmark, Finland, Iceland, Norway, and Sweden.
After seven years, the NLC will come to an end. Created in 2020 to strengthen the region and develop its talent within a more professional ecosystem, the league will now be replaced by two separate competitions. According to Riot Games, the decision is driven by the benefits they see in decentralization, with the publisher believing that now is the right time to make this transition for the NLC.
In mid-May, the league ran into organizational issues that were ultimately resolved with the arrival of
GameWaves as the new tournament operator. GameWaves went on to organize the Spring Split, which ended with Verdant securing back-to-back titles. The NLC is not the only ERL in the region, as each of these countries already has its own national league, including the 4 Nations for UK & Ireland, the
LoL DK Ligaen, and Sweden's RIVALS League.
The NLC Summer Split will serve as a tribute to all of these national leagues. In addition to the eight teams that normally compete in the NLC, eight more teams will join the competition. Sweden and Norway will each receive two slots, while Denmark, Finland, and the UK & Ireland will each be awarded one direct slot. The final place will be decided through a Last Chance Qualifier, where one team from Finland, Denmark, and the UK & Ireland will battle for the final spot in the NLC.
