LEC Versus 2026: NAVI secures crucial victory to reach 5-3 record while Shifters fall behind

Week 3 opens with the matchup between NAVI and Shifters. Prior to this series, NAVI occupies the 5th spot in the standings with a 4-3 score, whereas Shifters are ranked 10th with a 3-4 record, still having a shot at qualifying for the playoffs. Let's take a look at the match highlights.

Game 1 Picks:

• Shifters: K`Sante, Malphite, Cassiopea, Kai`Sa, Nautilus
• NAVI: Gnar, Jayce, Azir, Sivir, Braum

The game began with poke attempts and efforts to secure a lead through better farming and lane dominance. This worked particularly well in the top lane thanks to the Gnar vs K'Sante matchup. Later, NAVI attempted to force a fight in the top river near mid, knowing Malphite didn't have his ultimate yet. However, Cassiopeia landed an excellent ultimate from the brush and secured First Blood, gaining a temporary slight advantage in the mid lane.

In the mid-game, Shifters started finding good picks on NAVI's champions. They were particularly successful in catching out NAVI's midlaner. Despite this, NAVI held a 2k gold lead thanks to a fed Sivir and two towers. It is important to note that NAVI were slightly behind on neutral objectives, and until they could scale up, they were reluctant to contest them.

Realizing they were falling behind, Shifters decided to force Baron. Since Azir was too far away, they succeeded, but they paid the price: a 3-for-2 trade in champions, a mid tower, and the Infernal Dragon Soul for NAVI. This trade was generally acceptable.

Following this, NAVI took an excellent fight in the top lane, winning it with a 5-for-1 exchange. Pushing down mid, they hoped to end the game, but Malphite managed to defend the base solo and take down Azir. Afterward, the teams traded objectives: NAVI took Baron while Shifters took the Dragon, bringing the dragon count to 3-3, which slightly evened out the power levels.

NAVI didn't overcomplicate things; utilizing the Baron buff, they simply split-pushed across different lanes, managing to separate the Shifters squad. This decision helped them defeat Shifters, improving NAVI's record to 5-3. Shifters drop to a 3-5 record, putting them in a near-critical situation and further diminishing their chances of making the playoffs.

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.