LPL Split 1 2026 unveils format changes and increased Championship Points

Riot Games has revealed more details surrounding China’s LPL Split 1, which is set to commence on January 15th, 2026.

This year, the LPL has updated its Group Stage format, alongside introducing increased Championship Points rewards that will take effect when the competition starts.

The tournament will feature 14 LPL teams with two places available for the first international esports event of the League of Legends 2026 season, First Stand.

The LPL will see the return of the Group Stage for Split 1 with a few tweaks compared to the previous season. Due to the fact that FunPlus Phoenix and RNG will not be competing in the LPL for 2026, the number of teams has been reduced from 16 to 14.

Teams are divided into three categories based on their 2025 LPL Split 3 performance. The top six teams are placed into Group Ascend, the middle four teams start in Group Perseverance, and the bottom four will play in Group Nirvana.

Here is the group distribution for LPL Split 1 2026’s Regular Season:

Teams will play in a BO3 double-elimination format within each group. Following the results of the first stage, the top four teams from Group Ascend will move to the Knockout Stage.

Meanwhile, the bottom two compete against the four teams from Group Perseverance and the top two from Group Nirvana in the Knights Rivals stage. Additionally, the two lowest-placed teams from Nirvana will leave the competition.

Knights Rivals adopts a hybrid elimination format via a BO5 series, pitting two teams from Group Ascend against the top two from Group Perseverance in Round One. The winners of Round One will move on to the Knockouts.

Additionally, the bottom two from Perseverance will face off against the top Nirvana performers in Round Two.

Knights Rivals concludes with the two losers of Round One and the two winners of Round Two competing in a last-ditch effort to qualify for the Knockout Stage.

The Knockout Stage will see the last surviving eight teams compete for a place at First Stand. It will take the form of a double elimination format, where the top-qualified teams from Group Ascend during the Regular Season can choose who they will face first in the Upper Bracket Quarterfinals.

The top two teams will secure a place in First Stand, the first cross-regional competition of the 2026 League of Legends esports calendar. The event is scheduled to take place from March 16th to 22nd, 2026, in São Paulo, Brazil, as an offline tournament similar to the 2025 edition.

Riot Games also revealed the schedule for the Regular Season of LPL Split 1 2026, which will run from January 14th to February 6th, 2026. The next stage, Knights Rivals, will run shortly afterwards from February 9th to 11th, 2026.

One of the biggest changes coming to LPL Split 1 this year is the distribution of Championship Points. Significantly more points are up for grabs for the top-performing teams, with first place earning 80 points as opposed to last season’s 20.

This will be the point distribution following the results of LPL Split 1 2026:

LPL Split 1 2026 will also utilise the Fearless Draft system, which prevents participating players from relying on the same champion twice in a row during a series.