Riot Games has detailed the North American Challengers League (NACL) 2026 season, outlining its two split structure, key policy updates, and promotion pathways to Tier 1 LCS.
Season Format and Splits
The NACL returns in late March with Spring and Summer splits, aligning closely with the 2025 calendar to sync Tier 1 (LCS) and Tier 2 schedules.
Spring Split: Single Round Robin Best of 3 (Bo3) among 10 teams. Top 6 advance to double elimination playoffs, 9th and 10th face relegation in the promotion tournament.
Summer Split: Introduces a new “versus group” format for added competition variety.
Playoffs across both splits feature double elimination brackets, with top performers from the regular season receiving favorable seeding.
Top 2 teams per split advance to the LCS Promotion Tournament for a shot at Tier 1 guest slots.
A single open qualifier (OQ) runs during Spring Split. Top OQ teams challenge the bottom 2 Spring performers in the promotion tournament to claim the final 2 Summer spots. No Summer OQ next occurs at 2027’s start for roster refresh.
Six teams compete in Split 1 promotion: 2 lowest from prior split + 4 top OQ finishers.
Key Rule Changes
- Minimum Age: Drops to 16 (from 17) to ease entry for young talent.
- Buyout Cap: Maximum 6 months salary for player transfers.
- Full Fearless Drafts: Applied throughout for innovative series.
Detailed schedules and OQ sign-ups coming early 2026. These updates aim to streamline competition, boost accessibility, and solidify NACL as the path to pro.
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- Source: https://www.esportsbets.com/news/lol-nacl-2026-format-schedule-and-promotion/
