When does the 2023 LEC season start?

As quickly as it started, the League of Legends offseason is beginning to wind down, and domestic leagues around the world will be starting their seasons in the coming weeks. Europe’s LEC will be among the first leagues to begin their season, with the league’s revamped schedule of games kicking off in mid-January. 

In 2023, the LEC will look a bit different than it has in the past, with the addition of an extra split at the start of the season shaking up the format of the league. This extra split will bring more games to the schedule, with more high-stakes matches in each split’s playoffs.

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Following the Winter Split, the LEC will continue as you know it, with the Spring and Summer Splits rounding out the schedule before a new playoff tournament at the end of the season determines which teams from the region attend the World Championship. 

Here’s everything you need to know about the 2023 LEC start date, as well as the formatting changes that will most definitely have an effect on the season. 

LEC 2023 Winter Split start date

The LEC will begin its 2023 season with the Winter Split, a new extra split of games, complete with its own playoff schedule. The 2023 LEC Winter Split will begin on Jan. 21, and will last through the end of February. 

The Winter Split will debut the LEC’s new in-split format, which features a single round robin of best-of-ones and a best-of-three double-elimination group stage. The top four teams at the conclusion of the group stage will advance to a double-elim playoff.

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Following the Winter Split, the Spring Split will begin in March. The end of the Spring Split is followed by the Mid-Season Invitational, as is tradition for the global League scene. The Summer Split, which lasts between June and July, will be followed up by the “Season Finals,” a new end-of-regular-season tournament for the LEC. 

Winning one split guarantees a berth in the LEC Season Finals, while winning two guarantees a team a chance at double elimination for the tournament. Should a team win the LEC title in the Winter, Spring, and Summer Splits during a single season, they will automatically qualify for the World Championship. 

The LEC Winter Split will begin on Jan. 21, with the opening game of the season taking place between G2 Esports and Excel Esports.