Riot Games is bringing back League of Legends Classic with a global series of showmatches featuring esports legends from every major region, starting with the iconic NA LCS rivalry between TSM and CLG on July 24. The full schedule spans eight regions across two weeks, with teams of retired pros and current stars competing in the nostalgic game mode to celebrate the start of each region's Summer Split.
The NA LCS Showmatch: TSM vs CLG
The most anticipated match kicks off Friday, July 24 at 1:00 PM PT (4:00 PM ET). Riot is resurrecting one of North America's fiercest rivalries, bringing back legends from both TSM and Counter-Logic Gaming for a single best-of series.
One of the most iconic rivalries in North America 🔥
— LCS (@LCSOfficial) July 12, 2026
Join us at LCS CLASSIC - taking place on Friday, July 24
Keep an eye on our channels for roster reveals 👀 pic.twitter.com/4Ti1IuPK1H
The TSM Legends roster features Hauntzer top, TheOddOne jungle, Hai mid, Zven ADC, and Xpecial support. CLG Legends counters with ZionSpartan top, Xmithie jungle, Pobelter mid, Doublelift ADC, and Chauster support. Notably, Søren "Bjergsen" Bjerg was originally slated to play mid for TSM but had to withdraw due to a personal matter.
Viewers who tune in through the lolesports website can earn classic in-game icons from 2013, 2014, and 2015 for both TSM and CLG via Twitch Drops.
A classic match calls for classic drops 🙂↕️
— LCS (@LCSOfficial) July 22, 2026
Tune in this Friday at 1 PM PT on the lolesports website to secure your 2013, 2014, and 2015 TSM and CLG icons in-game! pic.twitter.com/WpD0oyEMY7
CBLOL: paiN Gaming vs CNB e-Sports Club
Brazil's CBLOL showmatch pits two of its most storied organizations against each other on Saturday, July 25 at 1:00 PM BRT (12:00 PM ET). paiN Legends fields Mylon top, Sirt jungle, Kami mid, brTT ADC, and Dioud support. CNB Legends counters with Leko top, Revolta jungle, Rakin mid, Kalec ADC, and Alocs support.
Vem aí um final de semana especial de #CBLOL
— CBLOL (@CBLOL) July 23, 2026
🗓️ No sábado, o Showmatch entre paiN Legends e CNB Legends, às 13h, e a primeira rodada da Segunda Etapa:
🕹️ FUR 🆚 LOS
🕹️ LOUD 🆚 PAIN
🗓️ No domingo, mais CBLOL às 13h:
🕹️ FX 🆚 LEV
🕹️ RED 🆚 VKS pic.twitter.com/LmThZpaF2K
LCP: Legends vs Current Pros
The Asia Pacific league is taking a different approach by pitting legendary pros against active players. The Team Baron vs Team Dragon showmatch takes place Saturday, July 25 at 3:30 PM GMT+8 (3:30 AM ET).
Team Baron features Evi (top), Naul (jungle), Maple (mid), NL (ADC), and SofM (support). Team Dragon counters with 1Jiang top, Draktharr jungle, HongSuo mid, Betty ADC, and Bie support. The match carries extra weight since most of the "legends" are still coaching or playing for LCP teams, blurring the line between past and present.
LEC: EU LCS Legends Return in Paris
Europe's showmatch runs July 24-26 during Karmine Corp's LEC Roadtrip at the Adidas Arena in Paris. The best-of-three series starts Saturday, July 25 at 1:30 PM CEST (7:30 AM ET), just before that day's regular LEC matches.
EU LCS returns 24th-26th July at the LEC Roadtrip by Karmine Corp in Adidas Arena, Paris!
— LEC (@LEC) July 20, 2026
Check the full weekend's schedule and don't miss this special themed event, which includes an EU LCS Legends Showmatch! pic.twitter.com/j4j7ew9oJn
Team Legacy fields Kev1n top, Araneae jungle, Alex Ich mid, Rekkles ADC, and YellOwStaR support. Team Dynasty counters with sOAZ top, Cyanide jungle, Froggen mid, FORG1VEN ADC, and Nyph support. The EU LCS format was a single round-robin with no playoffs, making this throwback particularly meaningful for fans of that era.
LPL, LCK, and LATAM Showmatches
China's LPL showmatch takes place Friday, July 31 at 7:00 PM Beijing Time (7:00 AM ET). While rosters remain unconfirmed, Hall of Legends member Jian "Uzi" Zi-Hao is expected to participate alongside other Chinese legends like Misaya, Caomei, Tabe, and Ning.
Korea's LCK showmatch features an absolutely stacked line-up of former Samsung, T1, CJ Entus, and KT Rolster players. Originally scheduled for Monday, August 3, the match has moved to Tuesday, August 4 at 5:00 PM KST (4:00 AM ET). Team Samsung Telecom fields Looper, Spirit, PawN, Piglet, and Heart. Team CJ Entus Rolster counters with MakNooN, InSec, Kuro, Cpt Jack, and GorillA.
Finally, the LATAM showmatch on Friday, August 7 at 3:00 PM CST (5:00 PM ET) will feature content creators and former pros from the Latin America region. Riot has not confirmed specific players yet.
What LoL Classic Means for the Esports Scene
These showmatches are more than nostalgia bait. They represent Riot's acknowledgment that the game's competitive identity was forged in an era before modern mechanics, objective bounties, and the current AI-assisted coaching infrastructure. The Classic mode strips away years of patches and reworks, returning to a version of Summoner's Rift that rewards different skills — wave management over split-second outplays, vision control over objective trading.
For organizations like Activision Blizzard, which has struggled to maintain its own legacy esports properties, Riot's approach offers a template: instead of abandoning the past, celebrate it. The Twitch Drops featuring 2013-era icons are a smart incentive, turning passive viewership into a collectible experience.
The Skeptic's View
Not everyone is thrilled. Some competitive purists argue that Classic showmatches distract from the current competitive scene, which already struggles with viewership outside of Worlds. Others point out that the "Classic" version being played isn't a perfect time capsule — Riot has confirmed that modes like Twisted Treeline and Dominion will likely return to LoL Classic in the future, suggesting the game mode is more of a curated museum than a faithful snapshot.
There's also the question of competitive integrity. These are exhibition matches, but with rosters featuring active players alongside retirees, the line between celebration and competition blurs. The LCP format, which mixes current pros with legends, could create awkward dynamics if the pros take it too seriously — or not seriously enough.
What Comes Next
Riot has signaled that LoL Classic is more than a one-off promotion. With Twisted Treeline and Dominion on the horizon, the company seems to be building a permanent alternative queue for players who miss the game's earlier iterations. If these showmatches draw strong viewership — and early buzz suggests they will — expect Riot to expand the Classic format into regular seasonal events.
For now, the showmatches offer a rare chance to see names like Doublelift, Froggen, and Rekkles share a Rift again, even if only for a few games. That alone is worth tuning in for.
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