Riot Games is bringing back the League of Legends Game Changers: Rising for a reimagined 2026 season, running from May to October with five open stages and a revamped qualification system across EMEA.
League of Legends Game Changers: Rising, the official EMEA competition for women in League of Legends, is returning for a full 2026 season. Riot Games confirmed on May 6, 2026 that the tournament will run from May through October, starting with the first open stage on May 29-31. The 2025 edition saw Eterna claim the inaugural championship with a 3-1 victory over G2 Hel in the finals. This year, the format has been completely redesigned to offer a longer, more meaningful competitive season.
How Does the 2026 Format Work?
The 2026 season introduces five open stages, each played over a single weekend. Up to 32 teams can register for every stage. The first weekend’s schedule breaks down as follows: Friday May 29 for the Swiss Stage, Saturday May 30 for Playoffs, and Sunday May 31 for the Grand Finals.
Teams earn qualification points at every stage, building toward overall standings that determine who advances. After all five stages are completed, the top six teams in points will secure their spot in the October playoffs. The total prize pool stands at €8,750, with €1,750 distributed per stage.
What Happens at the Playoffs?
The October playoffs will feature eight teams in total. Six earn their place through the cumulative qualification points from the open stages. The remaining two spots are reserved for the winners of existing national inclusive competitions. According to reporting from Strafe Esports and RFT.GG, these are most likely the Equal Esports Cup and the Nova Series. The Equal Esports Cup is a DACH-region LoL tournament for women and non-binary players, backed by Deutsche Telekom, SK Gaming, and Riot Games. The Nova Series is a French women’s competition organized by ZQSD Productions. This structure is Riot’s way of connecting grassroots women’s circuits across EMEA into the broader Game Changers ecosystem.
Who Is Running the Tournament?
A significant operational change defines the 2026 season. The tournament is now run by N.E.O (New Esports Org), a newly created French company led by Bertrand Amar and Matthieu Dallon. N.E.O took over several major esports events previously operated by Webedia, including the EMEA Masters and EVO France. Their involvement signals a more experienced and dedicated operational backbone for the LGC going forward.
What Happened in the 2025 Season?
The inaugural LGC Rising took place in late 2025 under the Webedia and Riot Games collaboration. Eight teams competed across two groups. G2 Hel and Eterna dominated their respective groups with perfect 3-0 records. In the playoff bracket, Eterna fought through the lower bracket after losing to G2 Hel in the upper bracket, then met G2 Hel again in the grand final. Eterna took the title 3-1, with their roster featuring players like Starrie, Delicate, Sashy, Sea, and Virtuosa. Several of those players have since moved on, reflecting the rapid roster movement typical of an emerging competitive scene.
How Are Broadcasting and Community Involvement Changing?
Riot Games and N.E.O are opening the door to co-streamers and community broadcasters for the 2026 season. Content creators interested in broadcasting LGC Rising matches can reach out to [email protected] for details. This mirrors the co-streaming model already used across other Riot-sanctioned competitions and should significantly expand the tournament’s viewership reach across multiple languages and communities.
Which Teams Are Already Preparing?
Several organizations have announced early roster moves for the 2026 season. Mental Rush unveiled a new roster built under coach Tim “Unkraut” Blume, while SK Gaming revealed the latest lineup for their historic Avarosa project. With the open-stage format allowing up to 32 teams per event, the barrier to entry is low enough that both established and emerging rosters can compete from day one.
How Does This Connect to VALORANT Game Changers?
Riot Games launched the Game Changers brand in 2021 with VALORANT as its first title, creating a professional circuit for women and marginalized genders across EMEA, Pacific, and the Americas. The League of Legends version, Game Changers: Rising, debuted in EMEA in 2025. While the two operate under different game titles and different formats, they share the same mission: building sustainable, visible competitive pathways for women in esports. VALORANT Game Changers EMEA Stage 1 for 2026 ran earlier in the year with a €33,000 prize pool and 10 teams, showing that the broader initiative continues to grow across Riot’s portfolio.
What Does This Mean for Women’s Esports in EMEA?
The expanded season structure, national tournament connections, and professional tournament operations under N.E.O all point to Riot treating the LGC as a long-term investment rather than a one-off event. Bertrand Amar confirmed in a March 2026 interview with Sheep Esports that there will be LoL Game Changers competitions in both 2026 and 2027, giving teams and players planning certainty for at least two more seasons. Combined with parallel efforts like the Equal Esports Cup and Nova Series feeding into the playoff system, the ecosystem is gradually forming a layered pathway from grassroots play to the EMEA stage.
