Riot Games splits NLC into UK & Ireland and Nordic leagues in 2027

Riot Games is breaking up the Northern League of Legends Championship into two separate regional competitions starting in 2027, creating distinct leagues for the UK & Ireland and the Nordic countries. The move, announced on May 12, reshapes competitive League of Legends across Northern Europe.

What happened

The NLC has served as the umbrella competition for League of Legends teams across the UK, Ireland, and the Nordic region, formed in 2020 through the merger of the UK League Championship (UKLC) and the Nordic Championship. That’s changing because League ApS, the organization that had been running the show, officially withdrew from its operational role in March 2026.

Riot’s solution is a two-phase approach. The 2026 season acts as a bridge year, keeping the NLC branding intact while a new operator, GameWaves, manages a shortened Spring Split. Then for the 2026 Summer Split, the league expands from eight core NLC teams to 16 total, pulling in eight additional squads from national leagues in countries like Sweden and Norway.

The expanded summer competition will use a modified Swiss format. By 2027, the clean break happens: two fully independent leagues, each serving its own regional audience.

Bridge year mechanics

The 2026 season is essentially a controlled experiment. GameWaves takes over operations for a compressed Spring Split, then the Summer Split stress-tests the expanded 16-team format before the full separation in 2027.

Pulling eight national league teams into the NLC for the summer serves a dual purpose. It gives those teams exposure to a higher level of competition while letting Riot evaluate which organizations are viable candidates for the standalone leagues launching the following year.

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