The Northern League of Legends Championship (NLC) has responded to accusations of delayed or missed payments to contractors as the 2026 season gets underway.

In a public statement, organizer LeaguesGG acknowledged delays affecting casters, hosts, and other broadcast staff. The company attributed the situation to heavy investment during the 2025 season and said it has now settled all original invoices.

Addressing recent criticism👇

Read: https://t.co/I5aQwlrf9M pic.twitter.com/mGE8zCScfU

— NLC – Northern League of Legends Championship (@NLClol) February 18, 2026

The Denmark-based organizer said it made “significant investments” in arena events and digital expansion last year, which helped drive record viewership but did not yield a “sufficient commercial return.”

As a result, LeaguesGG said it was forced to prioritize securing additional funding, a process that required significant time and effort.

“We sincerely regret the delays in payments that occurred during this period; however, our focus was always to secure all payments,” the company said.

However, some former team members and broadcast crew have publicly disputed the claim that all invoices have been settled.

This, is not true. I have not received any correspondence post or prior concerning the arrival of my pay, nor any offer to cover or compensate any delayed payment costs.

You would have thought the lies would have stopped by now.

(1/2) https://t.co/0S1q9V6vu2 pic.twitter.com/GmSyXmYlhL

— Sam (@SamUndrcvr) February 18, 2026

Reports of Delays Surfaced in Late 2025

Esports News UK reported that the first signs of issues emerged in October 2025, when sources indicated that LeaguesGG had delayed payments beyond the 30-day terms outlined in contracts.

Over the past week, affected individuals shared their frustrations online, describing repeated attempts to contact the organizer, including multiple follow-up messages that allegedly went unanswered.

The financial issues come after a landmark year for the NLC. In 2025, the league became EMEA’s most popular European Regional League (ERL), with its Spring Split accumulating more than three million hours watched. Live events were held across multiple cities, including Nottingham, Copenhagen, and Stockholm.

NLC doesn't pay their talent.

They can pay you 5 months late for work last June and ignore your late fee, then when you question them about your late fee being unpaid they string you along or ignore you until February!

After which their accounting messages you for the first… pic.twitter.com/iyTWQOjH3f

— Eragon | twitch.tv/eragonuk (@EragonUK) February 16, 2026

The period also coincided with structural changes. LeaguesGG released several casters, including Georgia “Troubleinc” Paras and Jake “Hiprain” Matthews, as part of a shift toward a more creator-driven format.

As the 2026 season continues, the NLC faces the challenge of delivering competitive content while rebuilding trust with contractors and the wider community.