League of Legends
Riot runs Clash tournaments monthly in 2026, alternating between Summoner’s Rift and ARAM. Here’s the full league clash schedule with every confirmed date, lock-in time, and what you need to know before your squad queues up.
Last updated: April 13, 2026, patch 26.7
What Is the League Clash Schedule for 2026?
The 2026 league clash schedule features monthly weekend tournaments rotating between Summoner’s Rift and ARAM modes. Riot has confirmed four events so far: Demacia Cup, Ionia Cup, Noxus Cup, and Ixtal Cup, running January through April. Registration opens five days before each event at 11:00 AM local time, and matches happen Saturday and Sunday.
Here’s every confirmed tournament so far:
| Tournament | Mode | Registration Opens | Tournament Dates |
|---|---|---|---|
| Demacia Cup | Summoner’s Rift | January 19 | January 24–25 |
| Ionia Cup | ARAM | February 16 | February 21–22 |
| Noxus Cup | Summoner’s Rift | March 16 | March 21–22 |
| Ixtal Cup | ARAM | April 13 | April 18–19 |
Riot hasn’t announced May through December dates yet. Based on previous years and Riot’s official Clash page, they typically reveal the next batch of tournaments a month or two ahead. I’ll update this post as new cups get announced.
My squad played every single one of these so far. We went 5-1 across Demacia and Noxus Cup weekends, then got absolutely stomped in Ionia Cup ARAM because none of us can play poke comps. Zero map awareness required and we still lost. Classic.
What Time Does Clash Start by Tier?
Lock-in times are staggered by your team’s tier. This is where people get confused and miss their window.
For NA, according to Riot’s Clash FAQ, Tier IV lock-in opens at 5:00 PM PST (8:00 PM ET), and each higher tier opens 30 minutes after the previous one:
- Tier IV: 5:00 PM PST / 8:00 PM ET (full 2-hour window)
- Tier III: 5:30 PM PST / 8:30 PM ET
- Tier II: 6:00 PM PST / 9:00 PM ET
- Tier I: 6:30 PM PST / 9:30 PM ET (last 30 minutes only)
Games start at 7:00 PM PST / 10:00 PM ET for all tiers.
One thing that burned us during Noxus Cup: my toplaner didn’t realize Tier I only gets a 30-minute lock-in window. He was eating dinner at 9:15 PM ET and we had to sub in a random. We lost round one. Don’t be that guy.
SEA regions work differently. All tiers can lock in starting one hour before Clash begins, no staggering. If you play on Garena servers, ignore the tier-based times above and just show up an hour early.
I think Riot should shorten the Tier IV window and give Tier I more time. Higher-tier players have tighter schedules (scrim blocks, other commitments) and 30 minutes is brutal if someone’s PC crashes during lock-in. But that’s just me.
How Do ARAM Clash Times Work?
ARAM Clash follows the exact same lock-in schedule as Summoner’s Rift Clash. Same tier staggering, same registration window. The only difference is the map and draft.
Games are played on Howling Abyss with random champion select. No bans, no lane assignments, just pure chaos. Matches run way shorter than SR games (think 15-20 minutes per game instead of 25-35), so your bracket finishes faster.
The confirmed ARAM events for 2026 are the Ionia Cup (February 21-22) and the Ixtal Cup (April 18-19). If the pattern holds, expect another ARAM cup in June and August, but Riot hasn’t confirmed those yet.
ARAM Clash is honestly underrated. The lower time commitment makes it easier to get five people online, and the random draft means tier mismatches matter less. My Plat 2 team beat a Diamond squad in Ionia Cup because we rolled Xerath, Lux, and Jayce while they got five melee champs. RNG is the great equalizer.
What Do You Need to Play Clash?
Before your team can lock in, every player needs to meet three requirements:
- Account level 30 or higher
- Completed ranked placements for the current season (if you haven’t done placements yet, check out how ranked works in LoL for a full breakdown)
- SMS verification on your account
The SMS requirement is Riot’s anti-smurf measure. One phone number per account. You can’t verify three accounts with the same number, which is why people looking for a fresh LoL smurf account for Clash need one that’s already SMS-verified and placement-ready.
Teams need a full five-player roster. You can form your team starting Monday of Clash week, but I’d recommend locking your roster by Thursday. Scrambling for a fifth on Saturday afternoon is a recipe for tilting before the tournament even starts.
Clash Rewards and Victory Points
Wins earn you Victory Points (VP) that stack across the season. According to TurboSmurfs, you get around 200 VP per win, which accumulate toward banner upgrades and cosmetic rewards.
Here’s what you can earn:
- Trophies: Your highest trophy appears at the Nexus in all your Summoner’s Rift games for two weeks after the tournament. It also shows on your profile.
- Banners: War flags that drop into your lane at game start. As you collect more, the frame holding your banner upgrades visually.
- Capsules/Orbs: Bracket wins grant loot capsules with skin shards, orange essence, and other cosmetics. Higher bracket placement means better capsules.
Premium tickets give better loot than basic tickets. If you’re grinding VP seriously, always use premium. The difference in rewards is noticeable after 3-4 tournaments.
How to Actually Win Clash (Quick Tips)
Your Clash tier is based on your team’s combined ranked MMR. That means a team of five Gold players won’t face Diamonds. Mostly.
A few things that helped my squad go from first-round exits to consistent bracket wins:
- Draft around comfort, not meta. Clash is best-of-one. Play what you know, not what’s strong on patch 26.7. I’ve seen teams lose because their jungler picked a “meta” champ they had 12 games on.
- Ban one-tricks. Use op.gg to look up your opponents during scouting phase. If their midlaner has 400 games on Katarina, ban Katarina. Simple.
- Communicate before lock-in. Decide your comp archetype (teamfight, split push, pick) before you even enter the lobby. Arguing about comp in champ select is how you start the game tilted.
If your team is struggling to climb tiers and you want to enter Clash at a higher individual rank, LoL rank boosting can get your account to the MMR bracket where you belong before the next tournament weekend.
FAQ
When does Clash start in League of Legends?
Clash events run monthly on weekends, typically Saturday and Sunday. Lock-in for Tier IV opens around 5:00 PM PST (8:00 PM ET) in NA, with games kicking off about two hours later. Check the in-game Clash tab for your region’s exact times.
Do I need to play both Clash days?
Nope. You can enter the bracket on Saturday, Sunday, or both. Each day is a separate 8-team or 16-team single-elimination bracket, so missing one day doesn’t lock you out of the other.
What are ARAM Clash times and how is ARAM Clash different?
ARAM Clash follows the same lock-in schedule as regular Clash, but games are played on the Howling Abyss instead of Summoner’s Rift. Matches are shorter and random champ select adds chaos. The Ionia Cup and Ixtal Cup in 2026 are the confirmed ARAM events so far.
What rewards do you get from Clash?
Wins earn Victory Points that unlock banners displayed in your lane during games. You also get a trophy that shows up at your Nexus for two weeks after the tournament. Higher finishes in your bracket yield better capsules with skin shards and other loot.
Can I play Clash on a smurf account?
Technically yes, but the account needs to be level 30, have completed ranked placements, and pass SMS verification. Riot ties phone numbers to accounts to limit smurfing, so you can’t just verify multiple accounts with one number.
The Ixtal Cup is this weekend. Get your team together, lock in on time, and don’t let your toplaner go eat dinner during the window. If you want to prep your rank before the next cup drops, Playplex has LoL rank boosting to get you tournament-ready.
