The LJL 2026 Winter Series is the opening split of the 2026 season of League of Legends Japan League (LJL) competition, organized by Riot Game in partnership with PlayBrain. The tournament is played online and runs from February 21 to March 29, 2026, featuring twelve teams competing across multiple stages. Six teams are directly invited, while the remaining six qualify through the Open Qualifier. The Winter Series begins with Main Stage 1, where teams are divided into two groups and compete in a single round-robin best-of-one format. The top four teams from each group advance to Main Stage 2, which is played as a best-of-three single round-robin, after which the top two teams from each group qualify for the Playoffs. The playoffs are held in a single-elimination bracket, with best-of-three semifinals and a best-of-five final. Teams earn championship points based on final placement, contributing toward qualification for the Spring Series.
