The LEC Rookies to Watch in 2026

From the very first split of 2026, no fewer than thirteen rookies will be making their competitive debut in the LEC. As every year, a new season means new talents joining the EMEA elite to compete and try to secure a ticket that would allow them to face the best players in the world at international tournaments.

With the addition of two teams coming from the EMEA ecosystem (LR and KCB, who together field six rookies), this opening split could more than ever shine a spotlight on the future of the region. Even if the talent pool may seem less mouth-watering than last year’s — when players like Caliste and Skewmond joined the league — this new generation still has plenty to offer. With this list of talents to keep an eye on, Hotspawn helps you sort through them.

Maynter

After two years in the LFL with KCB, crowned by four titles, and a career delayed by the situation in his home country (Ukraine), the toplaner Maynter is finally joining the LEC at… 25 years old. And he is surely the one who has earned his spot the most among this list.

When he joined the LFL in 2023 after winning the Up&Down tournament with TDS, the toplaner very quickly established himself as the best in his role across the ERLs. Not only that, but he is also regarded by all of his former teammates and coaching staffs as the “perfect teammate” — someone who constantly motivates his teammates and works relentlessly every single day to set the best possible example.

He may not be the most mechanically gifted player, but in terms of game knowledge, matchup understanding — and especially weakside play — he can already be considered among the very best at his role in the LEC. Nothing less. It should also not be forgotten that he was able to practice throughout the entire year with Canna as part of his academy team. All in all, an exemplary and talented toplaner, arriving with exceptional fundamentals for a rookie.

Serin

Certainly the second biggest prospect of the entire year stepping into the arena of the very best… and he isn’t that young either. At 23 years old, Serin established himself over the course of the year as the most consistent midlaner in the LFL. At times, only OMON and SlowQ could truly challenge him domestically, with Nemesis standing as his only real competition abroad.

Overall, he was one of the very few players who genuinely stood out over an extended period with Galions in 2025, across every aspect of the game. The statistics back this up: for example, in each of the three splits, he was the midlaner with the highest damage per minute in the French league.

That said, Serin is a player with far more experience than most rookies — and even than many current LEC players. Back in the TCL, before the Turkish league was reworked and integrated into the ERL system, he had already competed at Worlds 2022, as well as MSI 2021 and 2022.

He will also be joined by a second rookie on his team: Tracyn, who comes directly from the Heretics academy and notably reached the EMEA Masters Summer final. The young Polish player had already been strongly considered last year, before the team ultimately opted for Carlsen instead.

Jopa

The player who was rocking the name “LEC 2026” in solo queue two years ago turns out to have been right all along. Jopa will be joining the LEC next year with one of the most talked-about teams of this offseason: SK Gaming.

That said, it’s hard to ignore the fact that this 22-year-old rookie will be learning at the very best school, alongside the greatest support of all time in the region… Mikyx. On top of that, Jopa is an extremely versatile player, especially when it comes to his champion pool, as he loves to innovate and bring fresh lane approaches with picks such as Nilah, Seraphine, and Senna.

His creativity, combined with Mikyx’s, should be a perfect match. While Jopa tends to be the kind of player who pops off in the mid game or during team fights, Mikyx will also provide him with the lane stability and firepower needed to possibly turn him into one of the most well-rounded ADCs in the league.

Yukino

Who else? The prodigy who shocked the ERLs in Summer 2025, with a highly aggressive, carry-oriented playstyle. It is very rare for a jungler to become the main character of a team, even though their role has always been central to a team’s success in modern League of Legends. But Yukino is cut from that cloth.

At the EMEA Masters, the 19-year-old American prodigy never stopped proving his worth. Especially on a mechanical level, the jungler never shies away from a fight and always trusts his ability to outplay his opponents to come out on top. With a bit more game knowledge and the same confidence that allowed him to dominate the ERLs as early as Summer, he could very quickly rise to the status of a truly elite talent for the region he now seems to call home.

The leaks are true guys. I'm coming back home 💙 pic.twitter.com/PUfccCG8nc

— yukino cat (@yukinocat5) November 15, 2025

In any case, his natural instinct for the game inevitably brings to mind another great talent who passed through KCB in Summer 23… And just like Caliste in 2024, he will be tested as early as next year on his ability to become a team’s natural leader. He will be joined by two rookies coming from Div 2: Tao and Hazel — both mechanically gifted as well, but still far from reliable when it comes to knowledge and experience.

Rhilech