Riot Games has unveiled the details of the 2026 LCS Summer Split, headlined by the announcement that the LCS Championship Driven by Kia — the Summer Finals — will be held at Gas South Arena in Atlanta, Georgia, on October 3 and 4. The venue, located just outside Atlanta and home to the Atlanta Gladiators, Georgia Swarm and Atlanta Vibe, can hold 13,000 fans. The two matches played there will decide the LCS title and finalise North America's seeding at Worlds 2026.
The Summer Split opens with a two-day Mastercard-presented Opening Week on July 25 and 26, featuring a fan tailgate, partner activations and a still-undisclosed theme. The regular season then continues at the LCS Face Off Studio — the closed-door second stage of the Riot Arena — through early September, with the BO3 (best-of-three) round robin format carrying over from Spring. Only Opening Week and Week 7 will be played in the main studio, with a live audience, during the regular season.
The top six regular season teams advance to the playoffs, which now include an expanded lower-bracket gauntlet running across two consecutive Super Weeks in September. The top three sides at the LCS Championship will earn North America's three slots at Worlds 2026, which itself is
