Summary:
- The ERL 2026 season is going to be divided into three splits and will have both regional and international tournaments throughout the entire year.
- A big change to the rules of the tournament is the removal of the Locally Trained Representative (LTR) requirement.
- A new tournament called “LEC Versus” has been announced by Riot Games.
Riot Games just announced some major changes for the ERL system starting in 2026, including changes to team rosters and the league schedule. This year, Riot has given every organisation the ability to shape their own sustainable growth engine. Want to know how these updated rules, shifts, and schedule will change how we play League of Legends in Europe? Then you’re in the right place!
ERL 2026 Season Schedule
Riot Games has confirmed what the 2026 season of the ERL will look like. This includes three splits and several regional and inter-regional competitions.
- The Winter split starts on January 7 and runs until March 8. Right after that is the EMEA Masters Winter tournament, which starts on March 9 and ends on March 15.
- Spring Split starts March 23 and ends June 7, right before the EMEA Masters Spring from June 8 to 25.
- The Summer Split will kick off on June 26 and run until September 17. It then leads into the EMEA Masters Summer, going from September 21 to October 19.
Major Rule Changes for 2026
As of the start of the 2026 season, Riot Games plans to make changes to the European Regional Leagues’ policies. One of which is to eliminate the Locally Trained Representative (LTR) Requirement.
The LTR used to require all teams to have at least two players trained in their region. This is a big change from past seasons where ERL teams were limited by rules that forced them to use a set number of local players to develop regional talent.
LTR Mandate Removal
All Riot does is give tournament organizers the freedom to make their own rules about picking rosters. Each region is different; this way, tournament organizers can decide how many players fit best in each region’s style.
So, although teams don’t have to have players from their area as a rule anymore, tournament organizers may want to still implement local talent requirements to keep the regional identity and attract fans.
New Competitive Formats and Integrations
One of the biggest changes is that the usual LEC Winter Split is now being swapped out with “LEC Versus.” LEC Versus is a new invitational tournament that include all 10 LEC teams plus two of the top-performing ERL teams.
The tournament format for LEC Versus will consist of a regular season in the form of a single round-robin, best-of-one. The playoffs will consist of a double-elimination bracket with best-of-three matches, with the final being best-of-five.
Split Formats and Stakes
The winner will get to represent the EMEA region at the First Stand event, giving ERL teams a chance to prove themselves against some of the best.
Meanwhile, the Spring and Summer splits will still run on best-of-three round robins, followed by best-of-five playoff or knockout stages. These formats will give teams experience and preparation for MSI and Worlds.
Conclusion
With ERL 2026, it’s considered a big change and evolution that will promote the growth of rivalries on a regional level as well as inject new energy into EMEA ecosystem. Throughout all of this, we see regional fans, sponsors, and players excited about the increased level of engagement, as well as an enhanced balance in the ecosystem. And whatever comes from this announcement, the 2026 ERL will be a new and much stronger Tier 2 scene and may even outshine the big leagues.
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