LEC Spring 2026: Complete Team Tier List

LEC Spring 2026 is a very important tournament for all teams, as the 10 strongest squads in the region will be competing for a ticket to two international events: the Mid-Season Invitational and the Esports World Cup 2026. In this blog, we have created our own tier list of the teams at this tournament, and we will try to compare the strength of each one and predict which place every team will take.

LEC Spring 2026 Tier List

Before breaking down the performance of each squad, here is a consolidated tier list that summarizes all the participants from our perspective.

Below, we will explain exactly why we placed each team in these positions.

Regular Season Struggling Squads

Credit: X@SKGamingLeague

SK Gaming - perhaps one of the weakest teams in the league right now. They put together a completely new roster consisting of fairly experienced players, especially considering Skeanz, who started playing in the tier-1 scene half a year ago. However, their gameplay looks disjointed. Disjointed in the sense that each player is very good individually, but as a team, they do not look like a cohesive unit. At all stages of the game, they make many macro mistakes; sometimes they are minor, but they ultimately escalate into a serious problem for the team. At the moment, I do not see the squad being capable of making it out of the Regular Season.

The next team on our list is Shifters. The former Team BDS also failed to advance to the playoff stage at LEC Versus 2026, securing wins only against some of the weaker opponents in the league. Essentially, they also have a new roster that looks promising overall, but I do not think that in this regular season, which will be held in a Bo3 format, they will be able to achieve a result higher than top-8.

Middle of the Pack

Team Heretics - despite finishing the last Regular Season in 4th place, they still remain one of the weakest teams in the league in my eyes. In Bo1 series, the team truly managed to surprise their opponents, largely thanks to their strong bot lane. But the team recently made another roster change, replacing support Stend with a Korean player from KT Rolster Challengers - Way. Overall, this looks like a solid upgrade, but did they have enough time to build synergy, and did Way have enough time to adapt to the new league? Also, let's not forget about the Bo3 format, where there will be fewer random wins and difficulties may arise. All these factors could prevent Team Heretics from reaching the LEC Spring 2026 playoffs.

Team Vitality - a team that is highly entertaining to watch this season. It is a new roster that enjoys the game, likes taking risks, and forcing a fast pace. Furthermore, the players themselves are mechanically strong, especially Naak Nako - the team's top laner, who is praised by everyone, from analysts and commentators to the league's players themselves. Currently, their playstyle is very similar to last year's MKOI, who rushed forward without thinking about the consequences. This is genuinely interesting to watch, but such gameplay, especially against experienced teams, can be a major hindrance. One mistake, and the game might never return to your control.

Fnatic - currently the team that heavily disappointed at LEC Versus 2026. They showed unexpectedly weak gameplay, barely made it out of the group stage, and lost two Bo3 series in the playoffs with a 0:2 score against Team Vitality and NAVI. Following the Regular Season results, a total of 4 teams will be eliminated from the tournament, and the teams I described above are generally borderline squads that are on the brink after every lost match. For a better understanding of the tournament format, I recommend checking out the LEC Spring 2026 Season Viewer Guide. In this article, we detailed the Dates, Schedule, Format, Participants, and everything you might need for a comfortable viewing experience.

Strong Contenders

Credit: x@LEC

Natus Vincere - newcomers to the league who managed to reach the top 5-6 teams in the Winter Split during their first full season. For a recently assembled team where the players had never played with each other before, along with players debuting at the tier-1 level and a rookie tier-1 coach, this is a highly impressive result. The team has brought very capable and interesting players together. Their growth makes it clear how eager the team is for victories and how ready they are to develop. The team's strong point is teamfighting, but their current weaknesses include some macro mistakes and a lack of experience. I think they will be able to show a more confident performance in the Spring Split.

GIANTX - a team that has finally managed to step up from being a top 5-6 team in the league into the top 4. They were undoubtedly helped by keeping their roster from last year, putting in a lot of practice, and, of course, the experience they gained from last year's mistakes. I am confident that the team will not slow down this split; I even think they will become a more problematic opponent for most of the squads at the tournament.

Movistar KOI - one of the strongest teams for several seasons now. The team also made no roster changes this season, but it is important to note that the squad has been undergoing a transformation after Worlds 2025. The international stage made it clear that they needed to change their approach to the game. Now, the team does not rush forward headlong trying to snowball every game, but is learning to play reactively, which helps them perform better in the late game and utilize a wider and better pool of champions. So they still remain one of the favorites in the league.

Title Contenders

Here we are at the absolute favorites, who have maintained this status for several years and leave no room to doubt their strength. Karmine Corp - a team that took second place at LEC Versus 2026, losing in the finals to G2 Esports with a score of 2:3. They went through the Regular Season without any problems, finishing in first place. I think they will also be favorites at all stages of this tournament, especially in Bo3 format matches.

Credit: x@LEC

G2 Esports - the winners of LEC Versus 2026 and the silver medalists of First Stand. It is hard to say how many years this team has been considered the main contender for the championship title in the European scene. This year is no different, especially after their growth at First Stand, where they managed to beat two teams from the strongest region in the world, the LCK - FEARX and Gen.G. What is most daunting for their opponents right now is that both of these victories were with a clean 3:0 score. G2 often start the regular season quite weakly, and I do not think this one will be an exception, considering they had absolutely no time to rest after First Stand.

What to Expect from LEC Spring 2026?

After all the roster changes and LEC Versus 2026, the Spring Split is shaping up to be highly engaging and one of the most unpredictable yet. The teams are well-assembled and demonstrated solid results alongside interesting overall approaches to the game during the last split. Because of this, LEC Spring 2026 should be quite compelling, and we definitely recommend tuning in.

Another reason not to miss the Spring Split is LEC Rivals - a competition organized by Riot Games for the fans. You can find all the details in our blog post: How To Participate in the LEC Rivals Challenge: A Full Guide to Rewards and Rule s. In short, you just need to choose your favorite team, watch the matches, play ranked games, and earn great prizes. These range from in-game rewards to merch, LEC tickets, and a major grand prize. Do not miss your chance to become number 1 in this competition.