The LEC Spring Split starts on March 28 with EMEA’s top League of Legends teams hoping to qualify for the Mid-Season Invitational (MSI) and the Esports World Cup.
Despite the fact that Los Ratones are now out of the league, there’s still heavy interest in the upcoming LEC split after G2’s heroics at First Stand returned hope to the west.
This year, the LEC Spring Split is utilising the popular format from last year with no best-of-ones.
The teams will battle in a single-round regular season of best-of-three series before the top six advance to compete in the best-of-five, double elimination playoffs with MSI and EWC qualification up for grabs.
LEC Spring 2026 — The Major Talking Points
Of course, G2 will be the team to beat, though it’s no secret that the organisation tends to take the regular season quite easy.
Last split, G2 almost didn’t even qualify for the Playoffs, one more loss and they may never have gone on to win LEC Versus and beat the LCK’s BNK FEARX and Gen.G in back-to-back sweeps.
And considering the new split is starting just six days after the First Stand final, G2 will almost certainly be focused on trying to reset and recuperate. However, they aren’t playing in Week 1, so they do have some extra time.
The question now is, can anyone reach their level and take them down in the Playoffs?
Karmine Corp came closest last split, pushing G2 to five games in the LEC Versus final. With their new players settling into Europe, the expectation is that KCorp should be too good for most of their opponents.
Not far behind them is Movistar KOI, which pushed KCorp to five games in the LEC Versus Playoffs as well. However, in the final game of that series, MKOI were outclassed in every role. But with new contracts for their coach and support, MKOI clearly has faith in its current lineup.
Realistically, the two teams are evenly matched. It will be fascinating to see who can come out on top by the end of the split.
As for the dark horses, Fnatic have to be considered despite their very disappointing showing earlier this year. After signing Andrei ‘Odoamne’ Pascu, Fnatic finally has a third LEC coach which perhaps will allow the organisation to get more out of its talented roster.
Additionally, Shifters were the only team not to appear in the ‘After the Ashes’ promo above, as the team has been in South Korea bootcamping after failing to make the LEC Versus Playoffs.
Team Heretics will also be hoping for improved results as the only team to make any roster changes after signing support Han ‘Way’ Gil and hiring retired midlaner Fabian ‘Febiven’ Diepstraten as a positional coach.
LEC Spring Opening Matches
- Saturday March 28
- GIANTX vs Fnatic
- Karmine Corp vs Team Vitality
- Natus Vincere vs Movistar KOI
- Sunday March 29
- SK Gaming vs Team Heretics
- Movistar KOI vs Fnatic
- Monday March 30
- Natus Vincere vs SK Gaming
- Team Heretics vs Team Vitality
Share your bold predictions for the upcoming LEC Spring Split with us on the Insider Gaming Discord.
And see where the LEC is headed next with two LEC Roadtrips confirmed for Spring.
