Following the debut of LEC Versus, Artem Bykov opens up about fan reactions, the lessons learned, and how the LEC plans to evolve its format moving forward.
The LEC Versus has wrapped up on a high note, receiving positive feedback from both teams and fans, according to League of Legends EMEA Championship (LEC) commissioner Artem Bykov.
In an exclusive interview with esports.gg, he dives into the tournament’s reception, the thinking behind its new format, and the importance of regional experimentation. He also discusses the rise of emerging talent, the influence of Los Ratones and the ERLs, international representation, LEC roadtrips, and what the future may hold for the region.
I couldn’t have asked for a better start to the season. If we had simply repeated last year’s Winter Split format, the beginning of the year wouldn’t have been as exciting as it turned out to be.
Artem Bykov, LEC commissioner
How has the LEC Versus come to life?
For LEC commissioner Artem Bykov, driving innovation in the region is a top priority, introducing exciting formats, embracing experimentation, and delivering an outstanding fan experience. The beginning of the League of Legends season is the perfect moment to experiment and try new things in the region. The LEC Versus was introduced in 2026 as a tournament substitute for the Winter Split.
“Last year, fans expressed interest in seeing more competition between the LEC and the ERLs teams,” Byokv explained. “That vision is what brought the LEC Versus concept to life, and it gave us the confidence to focus on creating something our fans would truly love.”
In terms of viewership, the numbers remained close to those of the LEC Winter 2025 Split, indicating that fan interest in the region has stayed strong. While peak viewership saw a slight decline, both total hours watched and average viewership increased overall, according to Esports Charts.
The Bo1 format
Over four weeks, the competition took place across three match days. In LEC Versus, teams competed in multiple best-of-one (Bo1) series, earning points along the way. The more victories they secured, the higher they ranked. According to the LEC commissioner, they were trying to achieve two things:
- Delivering more action to keep fans engaged and entertained
- Allow teams to face every opponent in high-stakes matches, so that they can showcase their new rosters
Artem Bykov believes the LEC Versus gave fans one of the most exciting regular seasons ever. This format also built momentum for the upcoming best-of-three (Bo3) and best-of-five (Bo5) in the Playoffs.
As for the Fearless Draft, the LEC commissioner has also shared some positive feedback on the team’s behalf. “The reception has been amazing from both the fans and the players, and it’s great to see that it came back this year.” On the other hand, it is still too early to draw conclusions about First Selection. The LEC is currently gathering data and learning from ongoing team feedback surrounding this latest addition.
Will the “guest slot” be extended to other splits? Artem Bykov explains
In terms of prestige, Artem Bykov believes the new tournament carries the same weight the Winter Split once did. While it may not yet have the same history, the LEC commissioner considers LEC Versus to be one of the most competitive regular seasons to date. “We didn’t know which teams would qualify for Playoffs until the very last match, and it made the event incredibly exciting to follow,” he said.
“I couldn’t have asked for a better start to the season. If we had simply repeated last year’s Winter Split format, the beginning of the year wouldn’t have been as exciting as it turned out to be. It was crazy!” Bykov stated. “The race to the Playoffs was so close, it was insane. It was a great start to the year for us.”
As for the introduction of a “guest slot” in other splits, Bykov believes these experiments must follow a very structured approach, ensuring that competitive integrity is preserved and that the rules across both Tier 1 and Tier 2 are properly respected.
Los Ratones’ impact on the tournament
The “rats” were the hot topic of the whole tournament. As the team built by the popular Twitch streamer Marc Robert “Caedrel” Lamont, all eyes were on their performance. In just one year, the team secured all three NLC titles and won two of the three EMEA Masters 2025 tournaments.
Their success brought many curious eyes to the LEC Versus as they were invited for their outstanding performance during the 2025 season. On the other side, Karmine Corp Blue (KCB) also joined the tournament as the winner of the EMEA Winter event.
“Los Ratones had an impressive run. The victories against MKOI and G2 were super fun to watch, and they missed the Playoffs by an inch, which is the drama of the sport,” the commissioner commented. “KCB had a more challenging split, but I’m confident that the players took the most out of this experience. They had the chance to compete against the best in the region, and that helped them grow as professionals.”
A starting point for emerging talent
For the majority of League of Legends players, Tier 2 is the starting point of their competitive careers. We’ve seen many European stars come from the smaller teams, such as Rasmus “Caps” Borregaard Winther or Luka “Perkz” Perković.
Most recently, Caliste “Caliste” Henry-Hennebert and Vladimiros “Vladi” Kourtidis have emerged as promising young players who made their Tier 1 debuts and have already begun to demonstrate why they deserve a place at the highest level. “Once again, the ERLs have proven how critical they are to success,” Bykov added. “Caliste, Vladi, Supa, Alvaro, SkewMond, all of these players have shown others that they can arrive at the international stage.”
For the LEC commissioner, upcoming players must refine and develop their skills within a structured system before taking the next step in their careers. “I’m confident that it’s very motivational and encouraging for the next generation of pros to see someone like SkewMond competing in an international Grand Final or winning against LCK teams,” he added. “It gives them the belief that they, too, can reach that stage one day.”
The impact of roadtrips on the LEC and other regions
For Artem Bykov, the road trips have shaped a new era of the LEC. “I was in Barcelona and watching KC vs G2 at the Grand Finals was one of the most memorable in-arena experiences I’ve had in my life,” he laughed. “The event has exceeded our expectations.”
Badalona hosted the Grand Finals, and the arena saw a strong attendance. The Spanish crowd delivered an amazing experience and brought their passion to the arena. “This was the first time we have done an LEC final in a road trip model. There were a lot of first times in this experience, but it worked out great in Barcelona, and it’s definitely going to be a big year for us,” he stated.
After the great reception in 2025, the LEC decided to continue the project in 2026 with more events. Alongside Karmine Corp and Movistar KOI, Riot Games will take the LEC to Madrid and Évry-Courcouronnes for both the LEC Spring and Summer splits.
The success of the roadtrips was so significant that other regions began adopting the concept as well. Even the League of Legends Champions Korea (LCK) hosted its LCK Cup 2026 Grand Final outside South Korea for the first time, traveling to Hong Kong and selling out the arena.
Can other countries host the LEC in the future? Artem Bykov is open to it!
Since the launch of the roadtrips project, only Spain and France have hosted LEC events. However, Artem Bykov has confirmed a continued ambition to bring tournaments to more European countries. “We want to visit more countries and cities as well, and we know fans want this too. We’re always exploring new opportunities,” he explained. “I’m looking forward to receiving more proposals from other LEC teams to go to other countries in the upcoming years.”
The commissioner also confirmed that discussions with various cities have been ongoing over the years to host LEC events. However, several factors must be considered in the bidding process. “It depends on how committed and willing partners are to work with us, how relevant the location is for our fans to travel to, and how feasible it is for us to bring our infrastructure,” he explained. “We are always considering new opportunities!”
The EMEA against all odds
“I’m happy to see that everyone in the region, from the fans to talent and Rioters being so excited and cheering for one team,” he said. “The EMEA showing up strong on the international scene was very important to our fans, and it was great to see that G2 proved that their performance on the LEC Versus was not a fluke.”
At The First Stand 2026, the European representative brought fans much joy as they arrived at an international Grand Finals for the first time since 2019. While Artem Bykov is thrilled with their journey, he does not want to “overhype the region” for the rest of the year.
“It is important for everybody to see that we can compete against the top regions on the international stage,” he said. “We have much more competition, more Bo3 and Bo5 to play and practice for the bigger stages. I’m very excited to see how the teams will perform at MSI and Worlds this year. Now, the expectations are high, and I want us to stay modest and focus on improving our game, getting better, and bringing a trophy to the region.”
The LEC Spring 2026 Split has already started with outstanding performances and comebacks. You can watch all the matches on the official LEC YouTube and Twitch channels.