KC vs G2 headlines LEC Spring playoffs as Vitality pick MKOI

Ollie Ring, Senior Editor

Last Updated: 11/05/2026

The LEC Spring playoffs bracket is now locked and loaded. While Team Vitality enters as the first seed with the matchup they wanted, the match hot on the lips of the community lands on the other side of the upper bracket. Karmine Corp face off against G2 Esports in a clash that has quickly become one of the intriguing rivalries in modern European League of Legends.

Vitality, who secured first place before the final day of the regular season concluded, has used its first-seed selection to opt for MKOI in the upper bracket semifinals. The choice was the obvious one, after MKOI’s 2-1 win over G2 closed out the regular season and pushed them into the top four ahead of NAVI.

On paper, MKOI looked like the most favourable option available to Vitality. They have shown enough quality to reach the upper bracket, but are a less consistent playoff threat than Karmine and G2. MKOI present the cleanest possible route to LEC Spring glory. That said, Movistar KOI came out on top when the teams last met on April 29 in the EWC, and MKOI has won three of the last five series against the top seed.

Vitality vs MKOI opens the playoffs on Friday, May 23 at 5 PM CET. Karmine Corp vs G2 follows on Saturday, May 24: same time, same place Both series are best-of-five, with the upper bracket final set for May 25. By the end of the first playoff weekend, one team will have secured a place in the MSI play-ins.

G2 versus Karmine, a great modern rivalry?

G2 is the yardstick for LEC success. With a massive 18 LEC titles, no one comes close to the historical success of G2. Karmine Corp, however, has brought an exciting new energy to the league since acquiring the Astralis franchise spot in 2024.

The French organization is known for its raucous fan base and truly announced its arrival in the professional League of Legends space in the 2025 Winter split. KC’s 3-0 clean sweep of G2 in the Winter 2025 final was described as “remarkable domination,” and Riot posited that it could usher in a “new era to League of Legends in EMEA.”

This delivered the organisation’s first LEC title and announced them as more than just a popular newcomer. It also made them the first French club to win the competition, turning their climb into one of the league’s biggest recent storylines.

G2 came back swinging in 2026, pipping Karmine Corp 3-2 in the LEC Versus grand final to show the world they’re far from done. That result restored part of the old order, but it did not settle the rivalry. If anything, it has added fuel to the proverbial fire, making this upper bracket match-up feel even spicier.

When is the LEC lower bracket being played?

The lower bracket will begin the following weekend. NAVI face the first upper bracket loser on May 30, while GIANTX take on the other on May 31. The lower bracket semifinal is scheduled for June 1, the lower bracket final for June 6, and the grand final for June 7. Every playoff round will be a best-of-five series.

The losers of the upper bracket series will not be eliminated, but instead have to battle back through the arduous lower bracket. For two teams with title ambitions, dropping immediately into the lower bracket makes life a whole lot more difficult.

Vitality may have earned the right to shape the bracket, and MKOI may have delivered the result that finalised it, but KC vs G2 gives the opening round the “je ne sais quoi” we’re all after. It is the old final boss against the new challenger, a recent champion against Europe’s most recognisable powerhouse, and a rivalry that feels like it’s only just beginning.

Ollie Ring, Senior Editor

Ollie has been at the intersection of video games, esports, and gambling for over ten years and has also worked in consultancy in the gambling industry. He has helped host and attended numerous UK esports events both B2B and B2C in the last decade. Ollie's work can be found on the likes of: BBC, Red Bull Gaming, Esports Insider, CasinoBeats, PC Gamer, Green Man Gaming as well as his own thought-leadership substack "Esprouts" looking at specific studies and stories where games meet gambling.

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