The LEC returns on July 24, 2026 with the start of the Summer Split — the second and final chapter of the 2026 season. After a Spring crowned by G2 Esports (3-2 over Karmine Corp in the grand final) and MSI 2026 in Daejeon, all ten EMEA organizations head back to the Riot Games Arena in Berlin to battle for the most coveted prize of the year: a spot at Worlds.
Format: BO3 single round robin, top six to playoffs
LEC Summer 2026 keeps the same format as the Spring split: ten teams compete in a single round robin where every match is a best-of-three. At the end of the regular season, the top six teams advance to a double-elimination playoff bracket, with all playoff matches played in best-of-five. Weekly regular season games take place in Berlin, before the competition heads to Madrid for the grand finals.
The ten competing teams
G2 Esports, Karmine Corp, Team Vitality, Fnatic, GIANTX, Movistar KOI, SK Gaming, Natus Vincere, Shifters (formerly Team BDS, rebranded in December 2025) and Team Heretics make up the 2026 LEC roster. G2 enter the Summer as reigning LEC Spring champions and First Stand 2026 winners, looking to secure a third consecutive LEC title. Karmine Corp, finalists in every split since Spring 2025, will be aiming to claim the organization's first-ever LEC trophy.
Three Worlds spots up for grabs
The stakes could not be higher: the top three teams from the LEC Summer playoffs earn direct qualification to the 2026 World Championship. For European organizations, this is the most important competition of the year. The Summer split also represents the last chance for teams outside the traditional top four to upset the established hierarchy before the season closes.
Grand finals in Madrid: September 4-6
The LEC Summer 2026 grand finals will be held at the Madrid Arena on September 4, 5 and 6, as part of the LEC Roadtrips series. The Madrid event marks the season's climax for EMEA, with the top teams competing for the regional title and a Worlds berth. Madrid already hosted a Spring Roadtrip event on May 8-10.
LEC Summer 2026: Berlin first, Madrid in the finals — with Worlds as the ultimate destination for the top three.