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Los Ratones are eliminated from the LEC as G2 grab the final playoffs spot
It has been a roller coaster of a ride, but the Regular Season at the 2026 LEC Versus has finally drawn to a close. With all eight playoffs teams decided, fan favorites of Los Ratones missed out on their chance to compete for the trophy, putting an end to their LEC journey.
The reigning LEC Champions of G2 Esports, meanwhile, had to wait until the final game of the Regular Season to secure their spot in the playoffs. Despite a disappointing start to the year for the Kings of Europe, G2 barely earned themselves the chance to turn things around in time to defend their crown.
Los Ratones Walk Away Heads Held High
The much anticipated arrival of Los Ratones to the LEC truly had a bit of everything. After a horrid 0-4 start to their LEC journey, Nemesis and co. proved they belong on this stage as they turned things around to reach the final day of the Regular Season with a 5-5 record.
With playoffs on the line, LR looked poised to take down Team Vitality on their final match before a series of individual errors spelled doomed for Caedrel's squad. Despite the loss, though, there was still hope for LR.
However, as the final day of games unfolded, Los Ratones saw each and every door in front of them close one at a time before G2 beat Fnatic in the final game to kick LR to the curb.
As announced by the LEC at the start of the year, only the LEC Versus (the first split of the year) would include the two invited ERLs teams: Los Ratones and Karmine Corp Blue. That means that, with LR missing playoffs, the team's journey in the LEC has officially met its end. Or has it?
G2 Continue to Make HistoryD
It's a tale as old as the LEC itself: G2 slump hard in the Regular Season, then show up to the playoffs looking like a different team and win it all in the end. While the latter part of that story still remains to be seen, the former has never been more true than it was during this LEC Versus Regular Season.
For most of their recent games, G2 did not look like the same team that comfortably won the last LEC title under 5 months ago. Things got so bad for G2, in fact, that securing a playoffs spot came down to the final game of the Regular Season.
But win it they did; and with that, G2 continue their flawless run of never missing LEC playoffs. And it just so happens that G2 beating Fnatic to secure their spot also happened to be the final nail in the Los Ratones coffin; the result that left LR no more wiggle room to squeeze into the playoffs themselves.
With G2 securing their spot just in the nick of time, the final list of LEC Versus playoffs teams consists of Karmine Corp, Natus Vincere, Team Vitality, GIANTX, Team Heretics, G2 Esports, Movistar KOI, and Fnatic.
The 2026 LEC Versus playoffs action is set to kick off on Monday, February 16, with NAVI taking on Fnatic at 4.45 pm CET.
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Featured image credit: Wojciech Wandzel/Riot Games
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