LCS Academy merging with amateur events for LCS Proving Grounds
The LCS Academy is merging with the amateur circuit for a new series of tournaments that will build future LCS stars.
Earlier this month, the LCS
revealed its intentions to invest in the amateur scene
by adopting a new format for its Academy system. LCS Proving Grounds is the new tournament circuit that will see the best Academy and amateur teams competing for the title.
How do teams qualify for LCS Proving Grounds?
The introduction of LCS Proving Grounds completely changes the way the Academy league works. LCS Academy teams will still play a regular season, but now playoffs are out of the picture. The top six teams in the regular season will qualify directly to Proving Grounds. The remaining four will compete in a series of tournaments.
There will be a total of three tier-one tournaments. LCS teams get seeded according to their standings in the regular season, while amateur teams qualify by accumulating points in tier-two tournaments.
This is the current LCS Proving Grounds schedule:
- First tier-one tournament: End of February. Top four teams qualify into Proving Grounds, the remaining eight compete in the second tournament.
- Second tier-one tournament: Early March. Top four teams qualify into Proving Grounds, the remaining eight compete in the third tournament.
- Third tier-one tournament: End of March, the final chance. Only two teams qualify to Proving Grounds.
In total, 16 teams will compete in the LCS Proving Grounds, which will take place in late March and early April. This means that at least six amateur teams will get a chance to compete against official LCS Academy teams.
Amateur League of Legends teams have struggled to find any kind of financial support and have often disbanded before achieving anything significant. Through this new format, LCS teams can sponsor and even own an amateur team. Odds are that each franchise will approach this new format in different ways, based on their particular needs. It should also benefit aspiring pro players as organizations might be looking for fresh talent to develop.
Read Also
League of Legends
The Top-Earning League of Legends players of all-time
Hannan Mundia
League of Legends is one of the most profitable competitive games around, with its popularity meaning that players at the top are very well paid. Here we will compile a list of the top-earning League of Legends players of all-time. The esports scene has exploded in popularity in recent years, largely due to League of Legends. The game paved the way for other competitive games and has been going strong ...
League of Legends
LoL Worlds 2026 returns to the USA: Locations, venues, dates and slots revealed
Owen Harsono
Riot Games have revealed important details for the highly anticipated worlds 2026 tournament, including locations, dates, and some great news for South American fans. Here’s everything we know about LoL Worlds 2026 so far. On March 22, First Stand grand finals day held in São Paulo, Riot Games confirmed the tournament will be hosted in the United States. This will be the fifth time in history that Worlds has been ...
League of Legends
How to watch League of Legends 2026 First Stand
Hannan Mundia
2026 First Stand is shaping up to be the most intriguing League of Legends tournament of this year, prompting the question of how fans can watch it. Riot Games is usually fairly lax about streaming its events, but that doesn’t mean just anyone can stream them live. With this year’s First Stand being the first opportunity fans have to watch how their favorite teams stack up on the big stage, ...
League of Legends
List of qualified teams at First Stand 2026: Who are the favorites?
Hannan Mundia
With the first split of every competitive League of Legends region concluded, the list of qualified teams for the 2026 First Stand tournament is set. Last year's First Stand saw just five teams compete. The stakes are upped this year, with eight First Stand teams coming together for a chance to win the first international event of the year. Here are the teams that made it and who the outright ...
League of Legends
League of Legends 2026 First Stand preview
Hannan Mundia
First Stand will be the first competitive League of Legends international event of 2026. This preview goes through all of the necessary details, including First Stand's location, prize pool, and schedule, ensuring fans can tune in live to support their favorite teams and players. The 2026 First Stand is the newest of the three international competitions in the circuit. Launched in 2025, this year’s tournament is slated to start on ...
Esports Betting
FEARX vs Dplus 2026 LCK Cup playoffs: Preview, betting tips & predictions
Hannan Mundia
FEARX and Dplus KIA will compete in the 2026 LCK Cup lower bracket final to determine which team will face Gen.G in the grand final, and this betting preview highlights all of the important details about this upcoming match. While FEARX and Dplus KIA both went into this split as the underdogs, the two teams have surprised many with their performances since. Reaching the top three in a competitive region ...
Esports Betting
LYON vs Team Liquid 2026 LCS Lock-In predictions, key stats, odds & more
Hannan Mundia
LYON and Team Liquid are slated to face off in the 2026 LCS Lock-In playoffs, and this betting preview highlights the stats and form behind both teams to help you make more accurate predictions and picks. Despite the subpar performance of both teams in the Swiss stage, Team Liquid and LYON have seemingly bounced back in the playoffs. Both teams comfortably won their lower bracket quarterfinals matches without giving a ...
