These are the teams for the 2021 LEC Spring Split playoffs

Eight weeks of regular-split games have gone by, and the six best teams in the 2021 LEC Spring Split are now ready for the playoffs. 

The LEC has proven to be more competitive than ever, with teams from top to bottom able to beat each other. Fans have experienced the continuous dominance of G2 Esports, but with Rogue right behind as a serious contender. Young teams such as SK Gaming and MAD Lions have also made it into the playoffs, after showing great development throughout the split. And of course, Fnatic is there to compete as well, but with a worse performance than in any regular split since 2016. 

Before the playoffs start on March 26, it’s time to take a look at the teams participating and what the brackets look like.  

Who are the 2021 LEC Spring playoffs teams?

The race for playoffs in the 2021 LEC Spring Split was intense as always. Several teams were fighting for the last spots, but only six were able to make it. G2 and Rogue locked in their playoffs spots before entering the final week of games, but the rest of the spots were largely up for grabs. The sixth spot in particular was hotly contested, with Misfits Gaming and Excel fighting to make it through. Unfortunately for them, SK Gaming ended up taking the last spot with its young roster full of rookies. 

Here are the 2021 LEC Spring Split playoff teams:

• G2 Esports
• Rogue
• MAD Lions
• Schalke 04
• Fnatic
• SK Gaming

The top four will move directly to the upper bracket, while Fnatic and SK Gaming will have to start the playoffs in the lower bracket. This means that no missteps are allowed for those two squads, as a loss will send them home. For Fnatic, it’s unknown territory to be placed in the lower bracket this early on, and winning the title would require five straight victories. 

For the teams in the upper bracket, the title can be won with three straight wins. If a team manages to lose in the upper bracket, it will be sent down to the lower bracket with another shot at survival. 

What is the 2021 LEC Spring playoffs schedule?

With all playoffs teams locked into their seeds, the schedule has also been revealed. The playoffs will kick off with three matches in the first round. Two of those will be from the upper bracket and the last will be an early elimination match in the lower bracket. 

The first match is between Fnatic and SK Gaming, and the loser will be out of contention. The winner will move on the round two in the lower bracket with continued hope of making the miracle run happen. 

The two other matches will be between the upper-bracket teams. G2 will clash with the fourth seed from Schalke 04, followed by a game between Rogue and MAD Lions. Both G2 and Rogue seem like the big favorites after their performance in the regular split, but anything can happen in the playoffs. 

When is the 2021 LEC Spring playoffs?

The 2021 LEC Spring Split playoffs officially kick off on Friday, March 26. This gives all playoff teams an extra week of preparation before the battle for the LEC trophy and a spot at the Mid-Season Invitational in Iceland begins. 

The first match of the playoffs will be a best-of-five between Fnatic and SK Gaming. During the regular split, Fnatic got the upper hand in both matches against SK Gaming. But SK Gaming has the talent and hunger to pull an upset, especially after Fnatic ended the spring split with three straight losses.