Here's everything you need to know about First Selection which changed League of Legends esports games this 2026.
League of Legends (LoL) esports had an ironclad rule in its decade-and-a-half runtime: Blue side picks first, and red side gets last pick. With First Selection added this 2026, this all changes. Here’s how First Selection is changing LoL Esports for the better.
For you solo queue warriors, though, blue side will retain first pick privileges.
First Selection in LoL Esports explained
For all tournaments starting in 2026, First Selection will be implemented. This was decided by the Riot Games Competitive Operations team after the success and incredibly positive reception of Fearless Draft.
First Selection aims to inject even more variety and strategy into the League of Legends esports scene.
“One standout finding was the variance in side win rates. Multiple factors contribute to side advantage, and simply strengthening one side wouldn’t address the deeper competitive dynamics driving those outcomes. Instead, we explored solutions that prioritize player and team agency rather than system-driven advantages. After detailed discussions with regional leagues, pro teams, and our gameplay team, we’re introducing a new approach called “First Selection.””
– LoL Esports team
Whichever team would have had Side Selection privileges before now has First Selection. They can choose between which side of the map to play on (Blue or Red), or draft pick order (first pick or last pick). The team without First Selection gets to make the other choice.
For example, in a TSM vs Cloud9 game where C9 has First Selection, here is a possible outcome:
- C9 chooses first pick
- TSM chooses blue side
The outcome will be that Cloud9 has first pick, but will play on the red side. TSM will be on the blue side of the rift and will have last pick in draft.
If you’re a long-time LoL esports viewer, this change may be a little unsettling until you get used to it. Keep an eye out for details during the broadcast, especially during drafting phase, to see which team had First Selection and what choices each team made.
In the screengrab from First Stand 2026 above, you can see that Gen.G Esports had First Selection, and they chose to have first pick. The remaining choice, map side, was given to G2, who chose to play on blue side. Thus, they are on the left side of the pick-ban phase.
Ultimately, this addition unhooks the side of the map to the draft pick order. This does not change how the privilege of the choice is earned, though.
A team can earn First Selection privilege by:
- Having a higher seeding than the opponent.
- For example, in a lower-bracket final, the team coming from the upper-bracket final will have FS in game 1.
- Losing the previous game in a series.
- Winning the coin toss.
See this in action at all regional and international LoL Esports events in 2026.