The LCS was, for years, the primary professional League of Legends league covering North America, sitting alongside LCK (Korea), LPL (China) and LEC (Europe) as one of the major regional leagues that feed teams into international events like MSI and Worlds. Note that North American League of Legends esports has gone through structural changes over time, including shifts in league branding and format, so it’s worth confirming the current league structure through official sources rather than assuming it’s identical to past seasons.
How a regional league season is typically structured
Regional League of Legends leagues generally run in split format — often two splits per year (spring and summer, broadly speaking) — each consisting of a regular season followed by playoffs. The top-performing team or teams from each split, and often an aggregate ranking across the year, determine which teams represent the region at international events.
Regular-season matches are usually played in a shorter format (often best-of-one or best-of-three depending on the league and stage), while playoffs typically move to best-of-five for higher stakes and less single-game variance.
Where to find the current schedule
Because league structures, franchise rosters and even league names have changed over time in North American League of Legends esports, the most reliable approach is to check the official LoL Esports site directly for the current league’s name, format and schedule, along with Liquipedia’s League of Legends coverage for historical league structure and past results.
Why regional form needs context before international comparisons
A dominant regular-season run in one region doesn’t automatically predict international success — different regions have historically shown different playstyles and strengths, and a team untested against unfamiliar opponents can struggle even after a strong domestic season. When researching a team from any regional league, check both their domestic results and, if available, their track record (or their key players’ track record) in international competition before assuming domestic form will carry over.