League’s ranked calendar is easier to follow than it looks, but the naming still trips people up in 2026. There isn’t one single league season end date anymore—Riot now runs a ranked year split into three seasons, each with its own cutoff, rewards, and rollover.

This guide covers the current season’s end window, how the cutoff time works by server, and a full “Season 1 to now” reference table for LoL seasons start & end dates.

When Does the League Season End in 2026?

There isn’t one single League season end date inside 2026. Riot’s ranked year is divided into three seasons: Season 1 (January), Season 2 (April), and Season 3 (August).

The most recent confirmed “hard” cutoff was the end of 2025’s final season: it ended January 7, 2026, at 23:59:59 local server time, with apex tiers ending 15 minutes earlier.

2026 Ranked Season Schedule

How the Modern LoL Season Calendar Works

Riot describes the structure as a ranked year divided into three seasons. The climb continues between seasons, but the big reset happens when a new year begins.

Intra-year season rollovers are usually about new themes, new missions, and a short queue downtime—not a full ranked reboot.

• Ranked Year: The full competitive year; this is where the main reset happens
• Ranked Seasons (1–3): January / April / August segments inside the year
• Seasonal missions: The “win X ranked games” objective that refreshes each season

Exact Cutoff Time: What “local server time” Actually Means

When Riot posts an official cutoff, it’s tied to local server time. For the last confirmed finale, the cutoff was 23:59:59 local server time, and Master/GM/Challenger locked 15 minutes earlier at 23:45.

If you’re racing the clock, Riot’s rule of thumb is simple: if you’re already in the loading screen by the cutoff time on your shard, that match is the last one that counts.

Example Timezone Conversions

Riot also publishes a server time zone list in its end-of-season posts, which is useful if you’ve transferred or you’re unsure which shard you’re on.

What Happens When a LoL Season Ends?

Season finales are mainly about locking your ending position and pushing rewards. Riot’s current reward baseline is straightforward: finish at Honor level 3+ and complete the ranked objective (commonly win 15 ranked games during that season).

Reward delivery is not always instant. For the most recent finale, Riot delivered end-of-season rewards during Patch 26.01, and suggested contacting support if rewards weren’t there by Patch 26.02.

Does Your LoL Rank Reset Between Seasons in 2026?

Not in the way most players mean “reset.” Riot’s guidance is that your League of Legends climb continues between the three seasons of a year, and official patch notes have also spelled out that LP progression does not reset for those transitions.

The true reset is the year change. That’s when placements come back (five provisional games per queue), and Riot caps how high you can initially place.

All LoL Season Start And End Dates (Ranked History)

These are the classic Season 1–13 ranked years (before the modern structure).

For the newer era, Riot has published end-of-season posts for split/season finales, including the 2024 Split 3 cutoff and the end of 2025’s final season (which rolled into the 2026 start).

FAQs

When does LoL season end in 2026?

In 2026 there are three ranked seasons, so there are multiple endpoints. Riot confirms the cadence as January / April / August seasons, and publishes exact cutoff days closer to each finale.

When does the League ranked season end?

Recent finales have ended at 23:59:59 local server time, with Master/GM/Challenger locking 15 minutes earlier. Always follow the official end-of-season post for your season.

When does the new League season start after a finale?

Season rollovers typically relaunch around noon local server time after a short downtime (often ~12 hours). The 2026 ranked year began Jan 8, 2026, at noon local server time after the prior cutoff.

What happens to LP/MMR when a season ends?

Between seasons inside the same year, ranked progression generally continues, and seasonal missions refresh. The big reset is the new year, when placements return, and your starting rank is recalculated based on your results.

When do LoL ranked rewards get distributed?

It depends on the finale, but Riot typically ties delivery to the next patch window. For the most recent finale, rewards arrived during Patch 26.01, with support guidance if missing by Patch 26.02.