In a LOLNOW.GG exclusive interview with Maximilian Schmidt, Director for LoL Esports in EMEA, he revealed that the league is locking in format changes for 2026, highlighting the success of this year’s road trips and confirming that the summer split will be rebuilt after a disappointing run.
Summer split rebuild
The 2025 Summer Split became a case study in how format shapes feeling. Volume was the headline issue.
A team like NAVI played eight games of League of Legends on stage in summer, while at the other end of the spectrum a team like G2 had played just 12 by the time they qualified for Worlds and secured a top-three finish for the split.
Maximilian Schmidt was candid about the shortcomings, and unequivocal about what comes next.
“We weren’t happy with how the summer split turned out. That format is being retired, and we’ll completely revamp summer next year to reflect fan feedback.”
The success of taking the show on the road did not come free.
“We knew there would be challenges, and our focus on road trips came at the expense of flexibility. That trade-off hurt the summer split experience.”
Looking towards the 2026 season, the plan is clear, more games for fans, better structure and heavier lifting behind the scenes.
“We’ve locked in changes for 2026 and are finalizing details,” Schmidt said, adding that summer will return with “more match days and a simpler format for fans, though more complex operationally.”
Expanding road trips
The 2025 season was turbulent, marked by many changes. We asked Maximilian Schmidt for his biggest positive takeaway from a campaign where the format and more drew heavy criticism.
“Road trips. They’ve been a standout success. Getting outside of Berlin and engaging with local communities was a big step, and we’ll expand that in 2026.”
Two stops anchored the initiative, each one a proof of concept. The first, in Madrid with MKOI, drew more than 18.000 fans across two days, the hosts winning both matches in front of a crowd that felt less like a venue and more like a homecoming.
The second, in Évry on the outskirts of Paris with Karmine Corp, was reportedly sold out well in advance, and the home team also took both of its games.
Schmidt stressed that the project lives in lockstep with the league’s partner teams, the logistics and the storytelling moving together.
“We’re all very happy with how they turned out and want to expand further. It’s a great way for local fans to engage, and for teams to grow their local presence.”
Asked how success is defined for these traveling show days, he pointed to a clear set of criteria that reads as both scoreboard and compass:
“Sustainability, fan reactions, and team feedback,” adding that “this year’s road trips provided a solid foundation, and I’m excited to build on them.”
As for what specific changes or improvements are coming to road trips, no details were shared, so we’ll have to wait for an official announcement from Riot.
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