Riot Games announced that the League of Legends Champions Korea (LCK), the South Korean professional League of Legends (LoL) esports league, has doubled its viewership metrics six years after the introduction of the franchise system.

The Average Minute Audience (AMA) for the 2026 LCK hit 714,000, surpassing 700,000 for the first time since metric tracking began. This marks a 13% growth compared to 2025, breaking records once again. In particular, compared to the AMA of 326,000 when the franchise system was introduced in 2021, this represents a 2.19-fold increase. Furthermore, the peak concurrent viewership (PCU) for the 2026 LCK Finals increased by 24% despite featuring the exact same matchup between Gen.G and Hanwha Life Esports as the previous year, proving that interest in the LCK is on a steady upward trajectory every year.

Ahead of the 2026 season, Naver Chzzk and SOOP secured LCK broadcasting rights for the next five years, emerging as new viewing channels. While there were initial concerns about a potential decline in viewers due to the shift in weight from YouTube—which had been the core viewing channel until then—to Naver Chzzk and SOOP, both channels heavily invested in the simultaneous broadcast ecosystem and provided opportunities to streamers, successfully absorbing YouTube LCK viewers and pulling off a smooth landing.

Global viewership also maintained a continuous growth trend. Having broadcasted in various languages such as English, Chinese, and Vietnamese since the introduction of the franchise system, the LCK recorded a 20% year-on-year increase in global viewership in 2026 as well. Global viewers accounted for over 70% of the total average minute audience at 504,000. This success was attributed to efforts in expanding touchpoints with Asian fans—such as hosting the LCK Cup in Hong Kong and the Kiwoom DRX Vietnam roadshow—alongside the international competitiveness of LCK teams, including Hanwha Life Esports winning the Mid-Season Invitational.

The single-season, single-champion system implemented since 2025 has also settled in stably among fans, contributing to the rise in viewership metrics. Blockbuster matches between rival teams maintained high interest, pulling in an average minute audience of over 1 million even during the regular season. The split into the Legend and Rise groups in rounds 3 and 4 led to consecutive heavyweight matchups between top-tier teams, significantly boosting viewer counts in numerous matches. This heightened fan interest carried over into major events like the LCK MSI Qualifier, Play-ins, and Playoffs, acting as a key driver for massive spikes in viewership during critical matches.

LCK Secretary General Lee Jung-hoon stated, "Behind the historic performance of the 2026 LCK surpassing 70,0000 in average minute audience lies the affection and continuous interest shown by you, the fans." Lee Jung-hoon added, "The LCK will do our absolute best alongside the 10 participating teams to achieve the goal of becoming 'a global premium content enjoyed across generations.'"