LCS 2026 Summer: Everything You Need to Know

LCS 2026 Summer: Everything You Need to Know

22 Jul, 2026, 02:50

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Last updated: 22 Jul, 2026, 02:50

Top-flight League of Legends returns to North America once more! The 2026 LCS Summer Split will kick off Saturday, July 25, as eight teams battle to come away with the final LCS trophy of the year and a spot at Worlds 2026 in an extra special edition.

With Worlds taking place in the United States for the first time in four years, no one will want to miss the chance to represent their region on home soil. Here's everything you need to know before the start of the 2026 LCS Summer.

Teams and Rosters

The LCS is back, and here's a look at the full lineup of teams and rosters that will compete for a spot at Worlds 2026:

TeamRosterHead Coach
Cloud9Thanatos, Blaber, APA, Tactical, VulcanIWDominate
DignitasDenathor, eXyu, Palafox, FBI, IgNarSwiffer
DisguisedSrtty, KryRa, Callme, sajed, Lyonzido
FlyQuestGakgos, Gryffinn, Quad, Massu, CryogenThinkcard
LYONDhokla, Inspired, Saint, Berserker, IslesReignover
SentinelsImpact, HamBak, DARKWINGS, Rahel, HuhiGoldenglue
Shopify RebellionFudge, Contractz, Zinie, Bvoy, ZeyzalReven
Team LiquidMorgan, Josedeodo, Quid, Yeon, CoreJJSpawn

*Names in italics represent new additions to the team.

LCS Summer 2026 Schedule and Format

The 2026 LCS Summer Split will take place across two stages: the Regular Season and the Playoffs. Here's how each stage will work:

Regular Season:

  • Single round-robin
  • All matches are Bo3
  • Top 6 teams advance to the Playoffs
    • Top 2 teams receive a bye into Round 2 of Playoffs
  • Regular Season runs between July 25 - September 6
    • Two matches per day, starting 1 pm and 4 pm PT each

Playoffs:

  • Double-elimination bracket
  • All matches are Bo5
  • Playoffs run between September 12 - October 4  
  • Top 3 teams qualify for Worlds 2026 in the US

Opening Matches

The opening week of the 2026 LCS Summer Split will be a special one on all fronts. To kick things off, former stars of the league will take the stage for the NA LCS Legends Showmatch, set to be played on Classic League this Saturday, July 25. To find out more about the rosters and schedule for all Classic showmatches for the LCS, LEC, LCK, and CBLOL, make sure to check out our guide.

After the showmatch, the split officially gets going with two thrilling opening matches:

2026 LCS Summer Tickets

If you'd like to catch the return of the LCS live from the Riot Games Arena in Los Angeles, California, then you better hurry up. Tickets for the 2026 LCS Summer Split, including the Classic Showmatch, are already on sale and can be found at the official LCS ticket shop for as low as $23.

Note that tickets for both the Regular Season and the Playoffs are already up for purchase, so waste no time!

Fans cheering their teams on inside the Riot Games Arena in Los Angeles, California. (Credit: Colin Young-Wolff/Riot Games)
Fans cheering their teams on inside the Riot Games Arena in Los Angeles, California. (Credit: Colin Young-Wolff/Riot Games)

Where to Watch

The final LCS split of the year is about to kick off, so make sure to tune in! Follow all of the LCS Summer 2026 the action by tuning in to the official LCS channels on Twitch or YouTube, starting Saturday, July 25.

Remember that you can also catch the games live along with your favorite streamers by joining any of the official channels of co-streamers for the LCS.

Follow Strafe Esports for the latest League of Legends news, and our X account for the latest content and coverage. Also, stay tuned to Strafe's YouTube channel for exclusive interviews, press conferences, and more.

Featured image credit: Stefan Wisnoski/Riot Games


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