The first season of 2026 in League of Legends was dedicated to Demacia.

League of Legends fans are set for a journey to the next corner of Runeterra. The first season of 2026 will be under the banner of Demacia—a realm with strict laws and renowned military glory.

Riot Games released a cinematic trailer for the new chapter and shared its details.

The first season of 2026 begins in League of Legends today, January 8 (or has already begun, depending on your time zone). Below are the most important points of the update:

• Since the season's theme is Demacia, the Summoner's Rift will change accordingly: featuring petricite towers and decorations in the form of golden wings.
• The "League" will undergo several changes in different gameplay systems. For instance, role missions will be updated. To complete a mission, specific conditions dependent on the role must be met. Upon completion, players will receive unique in-game rewards for their roles: for example, mid-laners will get third-level boots or a faster recall, while bot-laners will receive increased gold and a seventh item slot.
• The game's pace will be adjusted in ranked, normal queues, and casual play: the champion selection stage will be shorter, and the first minions and jungle monsters will appear earlier.
• New items for each class will be added, and the base critical damage will now be 200%.
• New elements will appear on maps—special viewing areas and Crystal Growth. “On a strategic level, priorities will shift from fights for epic monsters to tower destruction,” emphasized the developers.
• In the second act of the season, a Shyvana update will be released. Visual effects for both her human and dragon forms will be refreshed.
• A new mini-game, "Demacia's Ascension," will be introduced. Players will experience the rise of the kingdom of Demacia—from a modest town to a beautiful, majestic country. The mini-game will develop throughout the season, with regular updates.
• Later in the first season, Riot will implement a number of improvements aimed at preventing disruptive behavior during selection. This system will dissolve lobbies likely to include potential disruptors—those who threaten to ruin the game for others. This system will be gradually introduced across regions to ensure high recognition accuracy. Also, the option to block champions selected by allies will be removed, and dodging games will no longer avoid automatic matchmaking.
• Gamers can expect a wave of new skins—in Demacia themes and other styles. For instance, update 26.2 will feature Battle Academy skins for Briar and Samira, while Galio and Ornn will receive skins in the "mecha" anime style. A skin line dedicated to the dark side of Demacia will appear in the second act.

For more detailed information on update 26.1, including balance changes and descriptions of new items, click here.