Key Dates for the 2026 League of Legends Esports Season

Riot Games has unveiled key dates for the 2026 League of Legends Esports season, set to kick off this month across the United States, Brazil, South Korea, China, Asia Pacific, and Europe.

The action starts with South Korea’s LCK and China’s LPL on January 14, followed by Asia-Pacific’s LCP on January 16. Europe’s LEC and Brazil’s CBLOL will officially launch on January 17, while the United States’ LCS makes its return on January 24.

March will see the first major event of the LoL esports calendar, First Stand, taking place from March 16 to 22 in São Paulo, Brazil, at the Riot Games Arena. Eight teams will battle it out: two from LCK, two from LPL, one from LEC, one from LCS, one from LCP, and one from CBLOL.

Later in the year, the 2026 League of Legends World Championship will make its way back to North America. The event will be held at the Credit Union of Texas Event Center in Allen, Texas, covering the Play-Ins, Swiss Stage, Quarterfinals, and Semifinals, while the grand finale will take place in New York City.

Additionally, Riot has announced the removal of regional split prize pools in Global Revenue Pool regions, reallocating those funds to “more impactful areas.” Prize pools for international events like First Stand, MSI, and Worlds will still be supported by the GRP.

For more details, including format changes and the return of fan-favorite events, check the LCS blog.