League of Legends Esports is set to introduce a series of competitive format updates in 2026, headlined by major changes to First Stand and the debut of a new draft system designed to reshape how pro matches are played.
The first global League event of the year, First Stand, will run from March 16 to 22 in São Paulo, Brazil, at the Riot Games Arena. With the LCS and CBLOL once again operating as independent leagues away from last year’s LTA rebrand, First Stand 2026 will now feature eight teams, including two representatives each from the LCK and LPL, and one team from the LEC, LCS, CBLOL, and LCP. This is a shift from the 2025 edition, where every region only had one representative in the tournament.
Every match at First Stand 2026 will be played as a best-of-five, marking a notable shift toward longer series early in the season. The developer says the change is intended to give teams more room to adapt within a series and better showcase strategic depth and flexibility on the international stage.
Beyond First Stand, Riot confirmed key locations for the rest of the 2026 global calendar. The Mid-Season Invitational will be hosted in Daejeon, South Korea, with venue details to be revealed later, marking the event’s first appearance in the city. Meanwhile, the 2026 World Championship will return to North America, spanning only Texas and New York, a departure from the traditional three-city format.
On the competitive rules side, the developer is introducing a new system called First Selection, which decouples side selection from draft order. Under this approach, teams will be able to choose either their side of the map or whether they want first or second pick during champion select, rather than having both decisions tied together. Previously, the team choosing the blue side would automatically get the first pick, and the team would get the opportunity to counterpick.
Now, the equation is flipped, which makes the team think that taking a red/blue side is more important than having the first pick in the draft. The change comes after extensive match analysis and feedback from professional teams, coaches and is aimed at adding strategic depth.
The developer also confirmed that the Hall of Legends will return later than usual in 2026, but will still make its appearance ahead of Worlds. We don’t know about the inductee, and the details are expected to be shared in the coming months.
