This Friday, Riot Games released all the key details regarding the upcoming LEC Spring Split, named Spring Primer. The competition will begin on March 28, six days after the final of the First Stand. The publisher also reiterated the format of the split, which will remain unchanged for the Summer Split.
The split will open with a seven-week group stage played in a single round-robin format, with matches contested as best-of-three series. At the end of this stage, the top six teams will qualify for the playoffs. Matches will begin at 5.00 PM CEST, with two best-of-three series played each day. The exception will occur on Saturdays during the first three weeks of the split, when Riot will schedule three series instead. On those days, the broadcast will begin earlier, at 2:00 PM CEST.
Two Roadtrips on the line
Following a two-week break, the playoffs will begin on May 23. They will be played entirely as best-of-five series, with one series per day, within a double-elimination bracket. The two highest-placing teams from the region will qualify for the Mid-Season Invitational in Daejeon, while the Spring champion will also secure a place in the League of Legends tournament at the Esports World Cup. The lower-bracket final, which will determine the second MSI representative, will take place on June 6. The grand final will be played the following day, on June 7.
LEC Spring Split Calendar. Credit: Riot Games
Riot also confirmed that the Spring Split will once again feature two Roadtrips. The first will take place at the Arena, in Evry-Courcouronnes, between April 24 and 26. The second will be held from May 8 to 10 in Madrid, under the auspices of . Karmine Corp have also announced the three teams invited to their event: , , and , three organizations that currently field former members of the Blue Wall.
“Monday shows have consistently seen lower in-arena attendance”
While most of the information shared this Friday had already been known to the public, Riot also announced a notable logistical adjustment. Although matches will continue to be played on Saturdays, Sundays, and Mondays, the publisher stated that there will no longer be a live audience on Mondays during the regular season. “Monday shows have consistently seen lower in-arena attendance, while production costs remain the same regardless of ticket sales,” Riot explained.
“When planning for 2026, we took a close look at what fans told us matters most to them,” the publisher further detailed. “That’s why you’ve seen us add more matches with the new Summer Split format and increase the number of Roadtrips to five. But to make these improvements possible, we’ve had to make adjustments in other areas. By prioritizing our investments this way, we can continue to grow and elevate the LEC with the experiences fans value most.” Tickets for the regular season — now limited to Saturdays and Sundays — are already on sale.