LoL 2026 Patch Schedule
By Roger on Feb 3rd, 2026, 11:23
Riot drops a new patch roughly every two weeks, and 2026 is no different. Here's the complete schedule so you can plan around meta changes, champion reworks, and balance updates.
Patches follow a YY.## format (year.patch number). So the first patch of 2026 is 26.01, the second is 26.02, and so on. Most patches are released on Wednesday, though some fall on Thursday due to holidays or internal scheduling.
The year is split into three thematic seasons, each with roughly eight patches:
| Patch | Release Date | Notes |
|---|---|---|
| 26.01 | January 8, 2026 (Thu) | Season start; Role Quests introduced; Atakhan removed |
| 26.02 | January 22, 2026 (Thu) | — |
| 26.03 | February 4, 2026 | — |
| 26.04 | February 19, 2026 (Thu) | — |
| 26.05 | March 4, 2026 | — |
| 26.06 | March 18, 2026 | First Stand Tournament preparation |
| 26.07 | April 1, 2026 | — |
| 26.08 | April 15, 2026 | Season One finale |
| Patch | Release Date | Notes |
|---|---|---|
| 26.09 | April 29, 2026 | Season Two start |
| 26.10 | May 13, 2026 | — |
| 26.11 | May 28, 2026 | — |
| 26.12 | June 10, 2026 | MSI preparation window |
| 26.13 | June 24, 2026 | — |
| 26.14 | July 15, 2026 | — |
| 26.15 | July 29, 2026 | — |
| 26.16 | August 12, 2026 | Season Two finale |
| Patch | Release Date | Notes |
|---|---|---|
| 26.17 | August 26, 2026 | Season Three start |
| 26.18 | September 10, 2026 (Thu) | — |
| 26.19 | September 23, 2026 | Worlds preparation begins |
| 26.20 | October 7, 2026 | Worlds patch (expected) |
| 26.21 | October 21, 2026 | — |
| 26.22 | November 4, 2026 | — |
| 26.23 | November 18, 2026 | — |
| 26.24 | December 9, 2026 | Season Three finale; preseason changes |
Patches typically roll out in the early morning (around 3:00–6:00 AM) for each region. Exact times vary, and Riot usually posts maintenance windows on its server status page a day or two before.
If a patch doesn't arrive within 48 hours of the scheduled date, check the Riot Games Service Status page for updates.
26.01 (January 8): The big one. Role Quests completely change how lanes play out. ADC base crit damage goes back to 200%. Atakhan is gone. This patch sets the tone for the entire year.
26.06 (March 18): Expect lighter changes as Riot stabilizes the meta before First Stand.
26.09 (April 29): Historically, the "midseason" patch brings significant balance adjustments and responds to issues that emerged since January.
26.19–26.20 (Late September – Early October): The Worlds patch. Riot locks in competitive balance several weeks before the tournament, so whatever goes live here will define the championship meta.
26.24 (December 9): Season finale and likely preseason preview. Watch for experimental changes that hint at the direction for 2027.
Read the detailed notes, not just the highlights. Champion buffs and nerfs get the headlines, but item changes and system tweaks often have bigger impacts on the meta.
Give it a few days. Win rates spike and crash in the first 48 hours after a patch as players test new builds. Wait for data to stabilize before making major adjustments to your champion pool.
Watch pro play. LCK and LPL often figure out the optimal strategies first. If something's broken, they'll find it.
Get a second opinion. Big patches can flip the meta overnight, and it's not always obvious how to adjust. If you're losing games you used to win and can't figure out why, a LoL coaching session can help you pinpoint what's changed and how to adapt your playstyle.
Bookmark the official patch notes page. Riot posts detailed breakdowns for every update at leagueoflegends.com/news.
Stay ahead of the meta, and you'll climb faster than the players who don't bother reading patch notes until they've already lost three games to a buffed champion they didn't know about.
