Speaking to RFT.GG at the Summer Finals in Nice, LEC commissioner Artem Bykov confirmed that LEC Versus — the semi-open, single-split format trialled earlier this year — will not return in 2026. He framed the experiment as a successful proof of concept that helped open the door for third-party tier-two competitions rather than a permanent fixture.

"This first split, LEC Versus went really well — one of the most viewed and exciting LEC splits ever. The viewership was good," Bykov said. "When we look at next year, we feel like LEC Versus, in a sense, we wanted to have a proof of concept, and this event paved the way and was one of the first steps towards competitions like the EWC qualifier or now the WSCI starting tomorrow."

He continued: "We have more competitions now happening in the tier-two space, and we wanted to pave the way for them.

We are not planning to bring LEC Versus back, and we are aiming to have a classic LEC experience with 10 LEC teams playing.

Asked whether the decision was linked to the departure of Los Ratones — the team around whom much of the format's hype and viewership had been built — Bykov pointed instead to the league's priorities going forward.

LR at LEC
Photo Credit: Riot Games

"For us it was really trialling out something for the first time and then opening this opportunity for paving the way for third-party organisers," he explained. "For now, with where we go with the LEC, we want to focus on the main 10 LEC teams."