LCS Split 1 2026: The New League of Legends Season is Officially Starting

As we move into the end of January and further into 2026, it is time for the world of online entertainment, competitive video games, and esports to come back in full force. As the most dominant example of electronic sports, the genre defining MOBA League of Legends (LoL) continues to grow in popularity every year. With the developer and publisher, Riot, directly involved in the decision making and planning of the leagues and regional tournaments, they always have new stuff up their sleeves. Following the success of their record breaking animated show Arcane and the free to play fighting game 2XKO that features LoL characters, the franchise is in every way, shape, and form better and bigger than before.

Still, it is the esports sector that attracts the most attention, particularly among gamers and fans. On January 24, the new LCS season starts with Split 1 commencing. North America joins in on the fun that has already started across leagues in other regions, as the top 8 teams start their 2026 journey. Read on to learn what you can expect from the split and the season, remind yourself of what happened in 2025 with a recap of the LTA season, and check out how you can place bets on the LCS Split 1 2026 tournament to put your League of Legends fan knowledge to good use.

LTA 2025 Recap

The 2025 League of Legends Championship of the Americas (LTA) marked a bold but brief experiment in unifying professional League of Legends esports across the entire Americas region. Organized by Riot Games, the LTA brought together sixteen teams split into two conferences, North and South, effectively merging what had been the LCS (North America), CBLOL (Brazil), and additional Latin American organizations. This structure was designed to streamline competition and send representatives to global events, with the season divided into three distinct splits. Each split had its own role in international qualification: the first split champion earned a spot at the First Stand Tournament, the conference winners in the second split headed to the Mid Season Invitational, and the top performers in the third split playoffs, known as the LTA Championship, qualified for the prestigious League of Legends World Championship.

Matches were played in Los Angeles and São Paulo, a mix of double elimination and round robin formats across varying stages to determine standings and playoff seeding. While specific prize pools varied by event, the culminating LTA 2025 Championship awarded a total of around $205,000, with the champion earning $80,000, second place $50,000, and third $30,000, in addition to securing spots at Worlds later in the year. Alongside financial incentives, the league’s format emphasized high stakes best of five matches late in the season that contrasted with best of one group play and best of three series earlier in the year. Riot’s inclusion of a promotion and relegation mechanism for guest teams added further competitive pressure, tying regional performance to future participation.

The 2025 LTA season concluded with FlyQuest crowned as the league’s first and only champion after a convincing victory over Vivo Keyd Stars in the grand final. It secured them not only the prize money but also qualification to the League of Legends World Championship alongside runner up and third place 100 Thieves. Despite these successes, the unified LTA format was met with significant criticism from parts of the community over its complexity and impact on viewership, leading Riot Games to announce that the traditional regional leagues, the LCS and CBLOL, would return in 2026, ending the LTA experiment after just one season. FlyQuest’s triumph thus stands as the sole chapter in this ambitious but short lived era of America's League of Legends esports. They are also the leader in the LCS Split 1 2026 betting odds right now as the defending North American champions.

LCS Format and Matches

The 2026 LCS season marks a major return for North American League of Legends esports. Riot Games reversed course and reinstated the league as an independent league for 2026. This upcoming season is officially the 14th in LCS history, and it reintroduces a three split competitive calendar that begins with the Lock In Tournament on January 24, 2026. The league will feature eight teams, seven long time partners, and a guest team promoted from Tier 2 play. The reinstated structure is part of Riot’s effort to bring back stability and fan engagement after mixed reactions to the LTA merger. The regular season runs through Spring and Summer splits that lead into major international competitions.

The first phase of the season is the Lock In Tournament, which serves as a ceremonial opening split and determines the league’s representative at the international First Stand Tournament. All matches in Lock In are played as best of three series in a Swiss format, allowing teams multiple chances to prove themselves before the playoffs. The playoffs use a double elimination bracket with best of five matches, and the tournament’s winner claims the first title of the year and earns a slot at First Stand. Riot has drawn attention to the draw for the first round, held in mid January, which officially set the stage for the competitive battles to commence. This early momentum is critical for teams looking to build confidence and rankings before the Spring Split.

Following Lock In, the Spring Split begins in April and transitions into traditional league play. All eight teams compete in a single round robin where matches are best of three, and the top six advance to the playoffs. The Spring playoffs again use double elimination and best of five series, and the top two teams earn qualification to the Mid Season Invitational (MSI) later in the year. The competition continues into the Summer Split, where the same regular season and playoff formats determine the region’s representatives for the 2026 League of Legends World Championship, hosted in the United States. Here, the top three playoff teams secure Worlds qualification, with the potential for a fourth slot if an LCS team reaches the MSI final.

Across all of the splits, Riot’s decision to eliminate best of one matches in favor of more best of three and best of five series aims to increase match quality and fan engagement, aligning the LCS closer to other Western regions and addressing past viewership concerns. It definitely resonates more with both the fans and the teams who welcomed the switch to the old model. Stake.com will have odds and predictions ready and waiting for all of these Splits, so stay tuned and keep checking.

LCS Teams Analysis and Overview

Let us meet the LCS teams heading into the LCS Split 1 2026:

FlyQuest (1481 points, 28-8 W/L)

They had a strong competitive trajectory in 2025, carrying momentum from their Summer 2024 LCS success, where they won the Summer Final over Team Liquid and showed they could top one of North America’s premier splits. In the 2025 LTA North season, FlyQuest often sat near the top of positioning and group phases, leading standings at times alongside traditional contenders like Cloud9 and Team Liquid, which positioned them well for playoff contention and potential international slots.

Their 2025 campaign saw them dominate many early matchups and secure a high seeding into later phases. FlyQuest’s roster traditionally included standout carries such as Inspired, Quad, Massu, and Busio, key figures in both 2024 and 2025, and their high Global Power Ranking reflected a very competitive win-loss record among LCS/LTA teams. By late 2025, FlyQuest was ranked among the top teams in the region following their win in LTA, characterized by consistent performances and strong strategic play. At the moment, they are ranked 9th in the world and have the best odds of winning the LCS.

Cloud9 Kia (1343 points, 18-8 W/L)

The popular team remains one of the more storied North American orgs, historically achieving multiple playoff runs and international qualifications. In the 2025 LTA North season, Cloud9 was consistently near the top of the positioning and group stages, often tied with FlyQuest for leading records early in Split 2 and registering solid match results against other opponents like Disguised. Their performance fluctuated, but they were competitive enough to fight for playoff positioning.

By the end of 2025, on the Global Power Rankings, Cloud9 sat comfortably above the mid table with a strong tally relative to lower teams, though not quite matching FlyQuest’s elite record. While exact roster details for 2026 are not fully published, the core historically involved Thanatos, Blaber, Zven, and Vulcan, all contributing to their tactical and lane strength. They are currently the 18th ranked team.

Team Liquid (1276 points, 15-15 W/L)

TL has been a longstanding LCS powerhouse with multiple previous finals appearances and championships in North America. In 2025, LTA North, Liquid showed competitive form when they won Split 1 and frequently placed near the top of their group phase with key victories over difficult opponents.

They were frequently among the leaders in early positioning and into the group stage, but tended to trail the very top duo of FlyQuest and Cloud9 in pure win-loss numbers. Liquid’s roster includes Impact, Yeon, APA, and CoreJJ with strong and experienced leadership. In Global Power Rankings for 2025, Liquid sat solidly in the middle of the league with a roughly even record, indicating a resilient but not dominant season compared to the very top teams. At the moment, they are ranked 29th.

Shopify Rebellion (1232 points, 10-15 W/L)

They entered the 2025 league structure as a franchise team following their acquisition of an LCS slot in 2023, aiming to break into playoff tiers. During the 2025 LTA North circuit, Shopify Rebellion generally placed in the middle, occasionally securing wins that pushed them into playoff contention phases. They finished notable placements such as third in Split 2 placement brackets and showed competitiveness against several opponents, though they did not consistently challenge the very top teams.

The 2025 roster included names like Fudge, Contractz, Bvoy, and Ceos, a fine blend of experienced and rising talent. In wider rankings, Shopify Rebellion trailed top contenders like FlyQuest and Cloud9 but stayed ahead of lower ranked teams like Disguised and Dignitas, illustrating progress for a relatively newer franchise. This is still the case as they are currently 38th, right in the middle among NA teams.

LYON (1218 points, 5-12 W/L)

As the rest, LYON was part of the LTA North during 2025, where they often performed as a mid tier opponent that could surprise stronger teams but ultimately lacked the oomph. In positioning phases and group play, LYON posted respectable records and occasional wins, but they did not consistently crack the very top bracket. Their contributions helped define playoff seedings, but ultimately, they landed outside the very highest tier in standings.

LYON’s 2025 roster included a mix of veteran and emerging players with strong individual skill, contributing to their ability to contest matches but not quite secure top playoff dominance. The same can be expected for this season. Relative rankings show LYON in the lower mid tier of the region’s competitive landscape, ahead of the bottom placed teams but behind primary title contenders. Theirs is the 44th place at the moment.

Disguised (1185 points, 3-15 W/L)

In the 2025 competitive cycle, they were the guest team aiming to secure their place among established franchises. Throughout the LTA 2025 season, they often struggled in early positioning and group phases with fewer wins than their peers. They faced tough competition from veteran squads and hovered near the bottom of the standings during much of Split 2.

The team, assembled around notable community and content figures, demonstrated flashes of potential but ultimately lacked consistent results against stronger teams. By ranking metrics late in 2025, Disguised was positioned as one of the lower tier teams in the league. In 2026, they are 50th and have a long way ahead of them in terms of catching up to the competition.

Dignitas (1123 points, 4-15 W/L)

Dignitas has a legacy in the North American League of Legends with past championships and international appearances, though their 2025 LTA season was a rebuilding phase and ultimately a forgettable one. In the 2025 competition, Dignitas achieved sporadic wins, such as victories over mid tier competition like Shopify Rebellion, showing resilience and potential but not enough for consistent deep runs in standings.

Experienced and emerging players are equally present, but results kept them toward the lower end of the regional rankings during Split 2 group play. Right now in the Global Power Rankings, Dignitas is near the bottom as the 57th team overall, out of 60. They are the utter underdogs, but can still surprise a stronger opponent and put up a fair fight.