The LEC is officially returning for its 2023 Summer Split on June 17, Riot Games confirmed today.
The regular season of the EMEA League of Legends competition will kick off with a match between Team Vitality and MAD Lions, the current title holders. But the first day of the split will also offer a showdown between G2 Esports and Team BDS, who almost snatched the title in the spring.
The competition’s stakes have never been higher this year, with the Summer Split granting access to the most coveted competition of the year: the World Championship. But before Worlds, the 10 LEC teams will face off in an effort to climb the rankings of the regular season and group stage of the Summer Split for a chance at being featured on the roadshow that will bring the competition outside of Berlin.
It all starts on June 17 with the first week’s opening day featuring matches between the top four teams of the Spring Split—though fans will have to wait for the following weeks to see a finals rematch. The defending champions MAD Lions will immediately have their place on Pride Rock challenged with matches against Vitality, G2, and KOI just in the first three days of the regular season.
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On the other end of the rankings, surging from the shadowlands, Excel and Team Heretics will look to show they have what it takes to hang with the best teams in the EMEA competition. While Heretics limped out of the gates but sometimes showed flashes of becoming potential contenders, Excel seem to have yet to start running for the title.
The first weekend of the 2023 LEC Summer Split will enthrall fans with a well-balanced mix of highly anticipated matches between performing teams and chances at redemption for those who have still yet to showcase their true potential. This year’s season with its format changes has highlighted what many League fans already noticed: No more kings and dynasties, nor historical rivalries to worship; the crown is up for anyone to wear and the battle is just beginning.
