The 2026 LEC season is barely underway, however Riot has already confirmed the way it plans to recognise the area’s prime expertise this yr.
The League of Legends EMEA Championship will roll out a broader awards programme throughout Spring and Summer time, whereas maintaining LEC Versus concerned. The primary accolade of the yr shall be handed out on the LEC Versus Finals on March 1, when the Finals MVP is topped on stage.
From there, regular-season standouts and rising stars could have a number of alternatives to be acknowledged all year long.
The LEC Awards are again. Picture Credit score: Riot Video games
Finals MVP Opens 2026 LEC Awards Calendar
The primary award of 2026 will go to the standout performer within the LEC Versus Finals. Not like regular-season honours, the Finals MVP is determined instantly after the championship match, with voting happening as soon as the Nexus falls.
A smaller skilled panel — made up of journalists, casters, broadcast companions, co-streamers and analysts — will resolve the winner. Solely gamers from the victorious crew are eligible.
Riot has confirmed {that a} Finals MVP will even be awarded on the finish of each the Spring and Summer time Cut up playoffs.
Season MVP Returns for Spring and Summer time
The majority of the awards calendar sits inside Spring and Summer time, the place longer common seasons enable for deeper analysis.
The Season MVP shall be awarded as soon as per cut up, recognising essentially the most excellent participant throughout the common season. Voting takes place earlier than playoffs start, with panel members choosing their prime three candidates. The participant with essentially the most votes wins.
The voting panel contains professional gamers, crew employees, journalists, broadcast companions and on-air expertise. To qualify, gamers should have appeared in at the very least six regular-season video games.
How the 2026 LEC Awards will work. Picture Credit score: Riot Video games
Alongside MVP, the All-Professional groups will as soon as once more highlight elite performers in every function. Voters will choose their prime three gamers per place, creating three full All-Professional line-ups per cut up. The Workforce 1 line-up — composed of the very best voted gamers in every function — shall be revealed throughout the playoffs.
There shall be no All-Professional or Season MVP awards throughout LEC Versus. Riot cited the shortened common season between the winter break and First Stand as the explanation, arguing that gamers have fewer alternatives to construct a whole case in contrast with Spring and Summer time.
Who Is Eligible for LEC Rookie of the Yr?
On the conclusion of the Summer time Cut up, the LEC will crown its 2026 Rookie of the Yr.
Eligibility guidelines are strict. Gamers should:
Be energetic within the LEC on the time of voting
Compete in at the very least two of the three splits in 2026
Play at the very least 50% of scheduled video games in every eligible cut up
There are additional restrictions. A participant can solely take part in a single Rookie vote of their profession, can’t have been eligible in one other area’s Rookie vote, and should not have competed in additional than 4 splits general.
Riot additionally clarified that rookies who debut in Summer time 2026 won’t be eligible this yr, because the vote takes place instantly after Summer time concludes. The league believes judging a participant on a single cut up can be unfair in contrast with year-long rivals.
