LEC Versus Preview: How will each team perform in Week 1?
Competitive League of Legends is back this week for the 2026 season, with LEC Versus kicking off this weekend.
Replacing the Winter Split, Karmine Corp Blue and Los Ratones will play in LEC Versus as part of the new 12-team event.
We at ENUK have graded the LEC teams’ roster changes, now it’s time to see how the new line-ups perform.
Here’s what to expect from each team in the first week of LEC Versus 2026.
Fnatic
- January 17th vs Los Ratones
- January 18th vs SK Gaming
- January 19th vs NAVI
Fnatic are a hard team to judge in some ways. Though history says they’ll have some high highs, but ultimately fall short of a trophy.
New Fnatic LEC signing Vladimiros ‘Vladi’ Kourtidis is determined to break the organisation’s trophy drought.
The new roster certainly has the potential to do so, but bedding in three new signings doesn’t always make for an easy start to the season.
On paper Fnatic should 3-0 the first week, but coach Fabian ‘GrabbZ’ Lohmann says the team will “give ourselves time to grow healthily.”
Still, anything less than a 2-1 will see fans immediately ringing alarm bells.
G2 Esports
- January 17th vs MKOI
- January 18th vs GIANTX
- January 19th vs SK Gaming
The reigning LEC champions, G2 were the first European team to the LoL Worlds Knockouts since 2021.
With a completely unchanged roster, G2 have to be the title favourites this year. Especially for Versus, as other teams make changes.
However, their first two matches are against teams that also haven’t changed rosters: MKOI and GIANTX.
MKOI will likely be G2’s closest competitors this split and will be a very difficult opener that could go either way.
Otherwise, G2 should win the other two matches, especially if jungler Rudy ‘SkewMond’ Semaan kicks on and builds from his good form at the end of last year.
GIANTX
- January 17th vs Shifters
- January 18th vs G2
- January 19th vs Team Heretics
An unchanged roster from a team around the middle of the pack is a bold move, but could pay off in LEC Versus for GIANTX.
With pre-built synergy, they should have the advantage over most of their opponents in the first weeks of the season.
The team showed a lot of promise, and British ex-LEC pro now assistant GIANTX coach Nubar ‘Maxlore’ Surafian should help hone that talent.
Expect GIANTX to make a hot start, but it would be a surprise if they eventually break into the top four long term.
Karmine Corp
- January 17th vs KCorp Blue
- January 18th vs MKOI
- January 19th vs Los Ratones
One of the most exciting rosters this year, KCorp made a massive signing by securing former FlyQuest support Alan ‘Busio’ Cwalina.
Korean midlaner Kang ‘Kyeahoo’ Yea-hoo is less of a known quantity but has to be talented to have been a part of LCK’s DRX.
Those two signings might need time to settle in, so Week 1 games against both ERL guests could prove massively beneficial.
KCorp might build momentum and become very difficult to stop. The match against MKOI will be a good indicator of their current level.
Karmine Corp Blue
- January 17th vs KCorp
- January 18th vs Los Ratones
- January 19th vs Team Vitality
Fans aren’t really expecting much from Karmine Corp Blue in LEC Versus.
They may be the EMEA Masters champions and the team that embarrassed Los Ratones 3-0.
However, most of that roster has moved on, though talented American jungler Johnny Hoang ‘Yukino’ Dang.
Anything can happen in a best-of-one, and Yukino has the ability to take over games and earn the team a few surprise wins.
But don’t expect much more from this team.
Los Ratones
- January 17th vs Fnatic
- January 18th vs KCorp Blue
- January 19th vs KCorp
There’s understandably a lot of excitement over the LEC debut of Marc ‘Caedrel’ Lamont’s Los Ratones.
Especially with the likes of Martin ‘Rekkles’ Larsson and Tim ‘Nemesis’ Lipovšek returning to the league.
However, fans should temper their expectations. Los Ratones’ early game was always an issue, and laning looks more important in 2026.
Yet, Caedrel claims Los Ratones LEC scrims are going well and believes the team will hold their own.
The team will certainly bring the entertainment, and debuting against a fresh Fnatic roster is the perfect opportunity to cause a major upset.
Movistar KOI
- January 17th vs G2
- January 18th vs KCorp
- January 19th vs Shifters
One of the title favourites this year, the unchanged line-up should be a force to reckon with.
Last season was a story of almosts as MKOI came agonisingly close to upsetting eventual LoL Worlds finalists KT Rolster.
The only addition is Welsh ex-LEC pro Barney ‘Alphari’ Morris as MKOI’s new assistant coach.
He has been brought in to help the team’s early game after MKOI ranked 5th in LEC Summer for gold difference at 15 minutes (212).
Natus Vincere
- January 17th vs Team Heretics
- January 18th vs Team Vitality
- January 19th vs Fnatic
Natus Vincere (NAVI) have a very new roster and a lot of potential, but it may take time to shine through.
Enes ‘Rhilech’ Uçan is a very strong jungling prospect, and Volodymyr ‘Maynter’ Sorokin was one of the most promising top lane prospects available.
Plus, former T1 Academy and Fnatic midlaner Sung-won ‘Poby’ Yun is a massive coup. However, his former coach says he isn’t very vocal.
In a rather inexperienced team, the question is, who will be the voice for the squad? Apparently, it’s support Polat Furkan ‘Parus’ Çiçek.
With raw talent, NAVI could easily be a dark horse this year. The roster probably needs longer to click, expect them to pick up some wins, but remain inconsistent overall.
Shifters
- January 17th vs GIANTX
- January 18th vs Team Heretics
- January 19th vs MKOI
The rebranded version of Team BDS. With a very solid bot lane duo and mid laner on paper, Shifters could be a pretty good team.
However, not a lot is currently expected of the organisation that finished 7th last Summer and hasn’t made many upgrades.
Still, an out-of-form Yoon ‘Ice’ Sang-hoon probably hurt BDS last year, and LCK CL runner-up Paduck could prove to be a monster.
With MKOI facing two very difficult matches, their focus may be elsewhere, which could lead to a big surpirse win for Shifters.
SK Gaming
- January 17th vs Team Vitality
- January 18th vs Fnatic
- January 19th vs G2
This year’s wildcards, SK Gaming could easily be challenging the top four or struggling to make Playoffs.
The long-awaited return of former MSI winner Martin ‘Wunder’ Hansen could be a huge coup, but it’s hard to know how good he is after a year away from the LEC.
The changes to mid lane could allow Adam ‘LIDER’ Ilyasov to roam more often on his signature melee picks, which could be huge with Mihael ‘Mikyx’ Mehle’s roams.
SK could have very high highs but these opening week fixtures might be too much too soon for the new roster.
Team Heretics
- January 17th vs NAVI
- January 18th vs Shifters
- January 19th vs GIANTX
Keeping hold of Théo ‘Sheo’ Borile could be huge for Team Heretics, but the team doesn’t look that exciting on paper.
Yet, they’ve been given possibly one of the easiest opening week schedules for LEC Versus.
All three matches are perfect opportunities for rookie signings Sebastian ‘Tracyn’ Wojtoń and Tolga ‘Serin’ Ölmez to show their quality.
But if Ice continues to struggle like he did last year, expect this team to be rooted near the bottom.
Perhaps that’s too pessimistic. Heretics have a very good academy and know their new talents well, maybe they’ll surpirse everyone.
Team Vitality
- January 17th vs SK Gaming
- January 18th vs NAVI
- January 19th vs KCorp Blue
Team Vitality should not be underestimated.
Their young players proved their quality last year and Marek ‘Humanoid’ Brázda is a very strong midlaner.
However, Humanoid is also sometimes inconsistent and is well known for silly deaths.
In best-of-ones, expect this team to have a lot of variance. They’re as capable of beating top teams as they are of recording silly losses.
Their first match against SK Gaming should be very explosive. Expect mixed results from Vitality to start.
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