LCS 2026 Format Changes Receive Positive Reviews
After a one-year hiatus, the LCS is set to return in 2026. The new season brings changes to the formats throughout the year. With the LCS being exclusive from CBLOL, there will be no Cross-Regional matches. Sentinels will take the place of 100Thieves as one of the partner teams. Fans can rejoice as there will be no Best-of-One matches throughout the year.
LCS 2026 Lock-In Tournament
The Lock-In tournament will replace Split 1. The regular season will be a Swiss Stage. All matches during the Swiss Stage will be Best-of-Three with Fearless Draft. The teams with a 3-0 and 2-1 record will start the Playoffs in the Upper Bracket. The lone 3-0 team will pick its opponent. The 0-3 team is eliminated. The 1-2 team with the best record will advance to the Playoffs as the fifth seed, starting in the Lower Bracket. The other 1-2 teams face off in a tiebreaker to earn the sixth seed for the Playoffs. The winner will qualify for the First Stand Event in Brazil.
LCS Spring and Summer Split Return
Splits 2 and 3 will be renamed to the Spring and Summer Splits. Both will feature a single Round Robin Bo3 regular season. The Spring Split will have a six-team Double-Elimination Bracket identical to the Lock-in Playoffs. The top teams will earn their spot at the MSI event in Korea. For the Summer Split, all six teams will begin their journey in the Upper Bracket. The first and second seeds earn a bye to the second round. If you watched the LCK Playoffs this year, the format will be identical to that.
One other vital note, the formats for Spring and Summer will mirror that of the LEC. It is the first time that both regions will have the same formats. Hopefully, this leads to a smoother understanding for Western viewers who want to follow the EU and the NA tournaments.
Will the Changes Restore LCS?
The LTA branding hurt the NA viewership throughout 2025. The return to the LCS name will help, but more is necessary. The format changes are a stepping stone to bring the hype back. However, with recent rumours of FlyQuest’s Support joining Karmine Corp, community sentiment is low. Alan “Busio” Cwalina has joined the French organization, according to Sheep Esports. Will the new format changes restore the LCS to its former glory? We will have to wait and see.
