The LEC’s viewership went down in 2026 despite a higher peak

Ben Boland Published 11/06/2026

The LEC Spring Split 2026 has just concluded, with G2 Esports claiming the crown for the 19th time. Culminating in an epic five-game series against Karmine Corp, the LEC’s final match was watched by up to 562,000 people, higher than Spring 2025. Aside from that match though, the tournament’s viewership is down from last year. Let’s dive into it.

The LEC Spring Split 2026 records a higher peak viewership than in 2025

The grand final of the 2026 Spring Split reached 562,322 concurrent viewers. In 2025, the Spring final only recorded a peak viewership of 509,010.

There are several factors at play. Firstly, the way the match played out. Last year, Movistar KOI beat G2 in four games. That result was an upset after G2 had just beaten MKOI 3-1 the week earlier.

Once the surprise faded though, the match became an underperforming team repeatedly trying to fight without success. G2 can be impressive even in losses, but that wasn’t the case here.

The second factor is the teams. The fan-favorite organisations in Europe are G2, MKOI, and Karmine Corp. As it turns out, KC has a stronger following, and European viewers like seeing G2 be strong.

The 2026 Spring final brought together many conditions for a good storyline. In Winter, G2 beat KC in a five-game final despite their opponent being head and shoulders ahead during the regular season.

Then, they went on to turn Europe from a slumbering region into a powerhouse at First Stand 2026, destroying BNK FearX and the clear favorites in Gen.G.

Fans gathered to watch G2 win again. Image source: Wojciech Wandzel / Riot Games

Coming back in Spring, the LEC once again offers the same matchup for the grand final. Once again, it goes all the way to five games. This time though, there are higher stakes. KC fans want to see them take their revenge, while G2 supporters hope that their team remains strong.

The result is a more popular final than in Spring 2025, and the eighth most watched European match since the start of 2025, per Esports Charts.

The LEC’s viewership keeps going down in 2026

However, the Spring final is an exception. The popularity immediately dips after that match, and the average viewership went down from 228,090 in Spring 2025 to 196,438 this split.

European viewership declines year after year, and 2026 is no exception. 2025 brought novelty with the KC-MKOI rivalry, but since then, the top three in playoffs have often been G2, KC, and MKOI.

Los Ratones made waves in Winter, but with the best teams unchallenged and the team out early, the fall of the LEC continues.

However, despite the fall in the viewership, League of Legends has seen an increase in wagering activity over the past years, per a report by Oddin.gg. In 2025, League of Legends betting grew by 46 percent compared to the previous year.

Featured image source: Wojciech Wandzel / Riot Games

Ben Boland

About Ben Boland

Ben is the Lead Editor at Win.gg, bringing a decade of iGaming industry experience having worked for both the operator and affiliation sides. With a formal journalism background, he is responsible for ensuring that every piece of content that we publish is relevant, accurate and well-written. In his own time, he enjoys playing video games and especially enjoys Rockstar titles, considering Red Dead Redemption 2 the finest title ever made. He has also spent a lot of time playing GTA V over the years and is fascinated by how streaming is changing the landscape of the industry.

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