LCS 2026 Lock-In: Schedule, Format, Teams & How To Watch
After a three-year hiatus, Riot is finally reviving the League Championship Series — this time, with a clearer structure and format that many fans have been hoping for. LCS 2026 Lock-In returns as a warm-up tournament and regional gateway to the opening international event of the year: First Stand.
To see what’s different, this guide will cover all the key details about LCS 2026 Lock-In, including the tournament’s schedule and format, participating teams, and how to watch the event.
LCS 2026 Lock-In Dates & Location
LCS 2026 Lock-In will begin on January 24, 2026, and is expected to end sometime in March 2026 (the exact date is not yet confirmed). The tournament will be held at the Riot Games Arena in Los Angeles, United States.
LCS 2026 Lock-In Schedule
This table outlines the full LCS 2026 Lock-In schedule, including the match dates and start times for each stage.
| Stage | Teams | Match Date | Match Start Time |
|---|---|---|---|
| Group Stage (Swiss System) | 8 Teams | TBD | TBD |
| Playoffs (Double-elimination) | 6 Teams | TBD | TBD |
| Grand Final | 2 Teams | TBD | TBD |
Note: Official game timings are not yet available. We will update this section as soon as announcements are made.
LCS 2026 Lock-In Format
With the League of the Americas (LTA) experiment over, LCS 2026 is back in action, featuring a modern and fearless twist. Lock-In will replace its traditional round-robin Group Stage format, inviting eight League of Legends teams to battle in a Swiss System over three weeks.
All of the Swiss Stage matches will be played as a best-of-three series, with the top six teams advancing to the Playoffs and the remaining two being eliminated from the competition. Playoffs seeding will work as follows:
- The team that finishes 3–0 can decide which 2–1 team to face in the Upper Bracket.
- From the 1–2 teams, the one with the best game score automatically moves to the Lower Bracket as the 5th seed.
- The remaining two 1–2 teams will play a Last Chance tiebreaker match to decide the 6th seed.
- The team with 0–3 will be eliminated.
The Playoffs will adopt a double-elimination bracket format. All the matches will be played as a best-of-five series. This new structure gives the season a sharper competitive edge right from the start. To up the ante, matches will be played under Fearless Draft.
The Lock-In champion will qualify for the first international tournament of the season, First Stand 2026. Following all these changes, Split 1 offers fans more action, featuring 50% more games than LTA 2025.
Prize Pool Distribution
Riot has not allocated any prize money to LCS 2026 Lock-In.
Teams Competing At LCS 2026 Lock-In
Eight of the best LCS teams will compete at LCS 2026 Lock-In. Seven of the franchised teams will be joined by a guest team, selected from the LTA North 2026 Promotion Tournament.
- Cloud9
- Dignitas
- FlyQuest
- LYON
- Sentinels *
- Shopify Rebellion
- Team Liquid
- Disguised
Note: On July 18, 2025, 100 Thieves sold their permanent LTA North slot. On October 2, 2025, Sentinels announced their debut as a new league partner.
How To Watch LCS 2026 Lock-In
If you plan to watch LCS 2026 Lock-In, it will be broadcast on the LCS official Twitch and YouTube channels. It will also be co-streamed from multiple partner channels, available in different languages.
LCS 2026 Lock-In Talent
To guide the viewers through the action of LCS 2026 Lock-In, these are the confirmed talent for the English broadcast streams:
- Isaac “Azael” Cummings-Bentley
- Clayton “CaptainFlowers” Raines
- Emily “Emily Rand” Rand
- Joshua “Jatt” Leesman
- Steve “Kangas” Kangas
- Sam “Kobe” Hartman-Kenzler
- Barento “Raz” Mohammed
FAQs
When and where is the LCS 2026 Lock-In event scheduled to take place?
LCS 2026 Lock-In is scheduled from January 24 to March 2026. The tournament will be hosted at the Riot Games Arena in Los Angeles, United States.
What’s the LCS 2026 Lock-In format?
LCS 2026 Lock-In will feature a best-of-three series Swiss Stage format with Fearless Draft rules, followed by a best-of-five series Playoffs.
Which teams are participating in LCS 2026 Lock-In?
Eight top North American teams are participating in the LCS 2026 Lock-In: Cloud9, Dignitas, FlyQuest, LYON, Sentinels, Shopify Rebellion, Team Liquid, and Disguised.
How can I watch LCS 2026 Lock-In?
You can catch all the action of LCS 2026 Lock-In on the official LCS Twitch and YouTube channels, with additional updates posted on the league’s social media.
What is the prize pool for LCS 2026 Lock-In?
Riot has not allocated any prize money to LCS 2026 Lock-In. However, the winner of LCS 2026 Lock-In will qualify for First Stand
References
- 100 Thieves on X (X)
- Sentinels on X (X)
- Official Twitch account of the LCS (Twitch)
- Official YouTube account of the LCS (YouTube)
