LCP 2027 season qualification matches to be hosted on home grounds

Riot Games is reshaping how teams reach the League of Legends Championship Pacific (LCP), requiring every side to first compete in their home league — the PCS, VCS, or LJL — before advancing to the regional competition from 2027 onward.

The publisher confirmed the shift in a press release dated 21 September, as reported by LoL Esports. Instead of teams settling in for entire seasons under the LCP banner, each split will now kick off domestically, with the strongest performers climbing into the LCP, which becomes a bracket stage gathering the APAC region's top squads.

What Changes in 2027?

Under the current system, domestic teams get just one promotion opportunity per year through the Promotion Series, and only one or two clubs per league qualify to take part. The new structure opens the door for every PCS, VCS, and LJL team in every split, while the LCP stays the region's lone route to international tournaments.

Key points from the announcement:

• Teams will move operations back to their home regions rather than staying based in Taipei
• Wild Card regions keep a Promotion Series route into the LCP
• The regional GRP continues for existing LCP teams, including those promoted or retained through the Promotion Series
• Teams that qualify for global events become eligible for the Global Event GRP

Why Riot Is Restructuring

Riot pointed to relocation costs as a major factor, explaining that keeping teams outside their home markets drove up operating expenses and limited chances to engage fans in person. Player welfare was also raised, with long stretches away from family and support networks cited as a burden under the old model.

The announcement comes after two seasons of the centralized LCP setup. That period delivered a record peak viewership of nearly 500,000 at the 2025 Mid Season Finals, and CTBC Flying Oyster advanced to the quarterfinals at Worlds 2025 — the region's strongest Worlds showing since 2015. Team Secret Whales went on to sweep all LCP titles in 2026 and became the first APAC team to defeat an LPL opponent in a best-of-five series.

What's Next?

Riot has not yet detailed how slots will be distributed, the exact format, or how Wild Card integration will work. More information is promised in the coming months through the league's official social channels, and organizers hoping to run Wild Card tournaments linked to the LCP should receive application guidance soon.

Source: Esports Insider