LEC Versus 2026: Shifters Secure First Win Against Team Heretics

The first match of the first week's second day took place between Team Heretics and Shifters. Both teams held a 0-1 record after yesterday. Due to the Regular Season format, every Bo1 series is crucial for the teams; let's see what they showed us today.

Game 1 Picks:

• Team Heretics: Rumble, Pantheon, Azir, Smolder, Nautilus
• Shifters: K'Sante, Wukong, Ryze, Corki, Rell

The start of the match was cautious, though both teams displayed decent aggression. We saw the first advantage emerge at the 10-minute mark in favor of Shifters after a fight at the dragon, which SHFT managed to secure for themselves.

After gaining a small lead, Shifters began to act actively across the map and group up effectively. This allowed them to efficiently catch Team Heretics ' champions without giving up trades and to secure objectives across the entire map.

Despite some good moments from Team Heretics, SHFT played more cohesively and maintained better map control. Constant movement, steady pressure, and vision placement pinned Team Heretics down, preventing them from doing what they wanted. This led to a further increase in the lead and consolidation on the map. In the end, it was a confident victory for Shifters, moving them to a 1-1 record. For Team Heretics, the situation becomes more difficult at 0-2 currently.

This year, the LEC Versus 2026 does not provide a cash prize for winning the tournament. Instead, teams are competing for the opportunity to qualify for the international tournament, First Stand 2026. The Regular Season will be held in a Bo1 format where every team faces each other. In total, teams will play 11 matches each, and those with the best results will advance to the playoffs.