North America’s League of Legends Championship Series (LCS) returns this week and begins the road to the Mid-Season Invitational (MSI).
This year, two North American teams will qualify for MSI, though the second seeds will have to deal with the brutal new MSI Play-In format with intense competition for one single spot in the Bracket Stage.
Nonetheless, reigning LCS champions LYON had a solid showing at First Stand and showed that the region can compete internationally, though they have mistakes that need to be ironed out.
With no roster changes made since the LCS Lock In, the Spring Split is looking like a very interesting contest. Here’s all you need to know.
When Does the LCS Spring Split Start?
The second LCS split of the year will begin on Saturday, April 4, with a couple of intense best-of-threes.
The opening day will see the following best-of-three matches:
- Cloud9 vs LYON — 1 pm PT / 10 pm CET
- Sentinels vs Disguised 3 pm PT / 12 am CET (next day)
The first match is a rematch of the LCS Lock In Playoff finals in which LYON came out surpirse winners.
The regular season will last from April 4 until May 17, then the LCS Spring Playoffs will begin on May 23 and conclude with the final on June 14.
LCS Spring 2026 Format
Just like the LEC Spring Split, the LCS Spring Split will be played entirely of multi-game series with no best-of-ones.
The regular season will be a single round-robin of best-of-threes to determine the top six teams who will advance to the Playoffs.
The Playoffs will then see a double-elimination bracket made up entirely of best-of-fives.
The fifth and sixth seed teams will start in the lower bracket, meaning they will have no second chances and any lost series will spell elimination.
The top two will qualify for MSI, with the LCS Spring champions automatically qualifying for the main event of the international tournament.
Will anyone be able to stop LYON this split? Let us know your bold predictions on the Insider Gaming Discord.
And find out when every LoL esports Spring Split starts with the LPL, LEC, LCK, CBLoL, and LCP all starting the road to MSI.
