LCK 2026 Season
The LCK 2026 Championship is the official annual season of the highest-ranked professional league for League of Legends in South Korea, organized by Riot Games. The league represents one of the four major regional leagues worldwide, and its competitive significance lies in determining the regional champions and distributing qualifying spots for major international tournaments such as the Mid-Season Invitational (MSI) and the World Championship (Worlds).
Format
Stage 1: Opening Season
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Format: Double round-robin, Best-of-3 ($Bo3$) matches.
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Draft Rule: Fearless Draft is enforced.
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Progression: The top 6 teams secure their spots for the Road to MSI.
Stage 2: Group Split
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Format: The 10 teams are divided into two distinct groups based on their Stage 1 performance.
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Legend Group: Features the top 5 teams from Stage 1.
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Rise Group: Features the bottom 5 teams from Stage 1.
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Structure: Double round-robin, Best-of-3 ($Bo3$) matches.
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Carry-over: Team records and standings from Stage 1 are fully retained.
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Draft Rule: Fearless Draft is enforced.
Stage 3: Play-In & Elimination
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Format: Double-elimination bracket, Best-of-5 ($Bo5$) matches.
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Draft Rule: Fearless Draft is enforced.
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Advancement Criteria:
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Direct to Playoffs Round 2: Top 2 teams from the Legend Group.
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Direct to Playoffs Round 1: 3rd and 4th place teams from the Legend Group.
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To the Play-In Stage: The bottom team from the Legend Group joined by the top 3 teams from the Rise Group (4 teams total competing for 2 slots).
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Eliminated: The bottom 2 teams from the Rise Group.
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Play-In Outcome: The top 2 performing teams from this stage advance to Playoffs Round 1.
Stage 4: Playoffs & Worlds Qualification
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Format: Double-elimination bracket, Best-of-5 ($Bo5$) matches.
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Draft Rule: Fearless Draft is enforced.
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The Ultimate Prize: The top 3 finishing teams directly qualify for the World Championship.
