Your viewer guide to LEC 2026 Versus
While it might not simply be called “Split 1” like many other of the League of Legends (LoL) regional esports leagues leading up to the First Stand event, the League of Legends EMEA Championship (LEC) 2026 Versus tournament has the same stakes, and it’s simply unmissable. Here’s what LoL esports fans must know so they don’t miss any of the action.
LEC 2026 Versus details
The LEC 2026 Versus tournament is an offline event taking place at the Riot Games Arena venue in Berlin, Germany. It begins this Saturday, on 17 January 2026, and runs until 1 March 2026.
There are a total of 12 teams competing, all fighting for some LEC 2026 points and one spot to represent the region at the First Stand 2026 tournament. The stakes are high, and the stage is set! Check out the teams competing below.
Teams Competing:
- GIANTX
- Fnatic
- G2 Esports
- Karmine Corp
- Movistar KOI
- NAVI
- Shifters
- SK Gaming
- Team Vitality
- Team Heretics
- Karmine Corp Blue
- Los Ratones
All teams start in the Regular Season, featuring a single Round Robin format. Each team plays 11 matches, and all matches are best-of-one. The top eight teams advance to the Playoffs Stage of LEC 2026 Versus. In the Playoffs Stage, the teams will fight through a double-elimination bracket.
The first two rounds of matches are best-of-three, and all other matches are best-of-five. The Fearless Draft system is used throughout. We’ll see the winner of LEC 2026 Versus represent the region at First Stand 2026.
League of Legends esports fans can watch all the LEC 2026 Versus action via the official LEC Twitch and LEC YouTube channels. Stay tuned to Esports Central as we’ll bring you all the results from the regional LoL esports leagues and the most significant international events.
Header image via Riot Games.
