NLC returns with new organizer after months of silence

The Northern League of Legends Championship, the regional league for UK and Nordic teams, will return later this month as a new event organizer is announced and a call for casters published.

The NLC’s official social accounts roared to life on May 12 after weeks of silence, ending speculation about the fate of the league which served the UK and Nordic region. From May 25, the NLC will hold its Spring Split with a rollercoaster two-week league featuring eight invited teams.

NLC returns under new organizer with hectic two-week schedule

In a post on Twitter from the official NLC account, new event organizer GameWaves introduced themselves. The organizer of Benelux regional league Road of Legends since 2025, GameWaves has taken the helm of NLC with just a few weeks leeway before the expected announcement of EMEA Masters Spring 2026.

As detailed in an accompanying blog post on the official LoL Esports website, the event will operate on an accelerated two-week format in order to “catch-up” with the ERL schedule.

“The Spring Split will take place in a shortened format to catch up to the ERL schedule. Arctic Pandas, DMG Esports, Verdant, Bulldog Esports, LEO, Deer Gaming, Lundqvist Lightside and Ruddy Corporation will compete in an intense single round robin Best-of-One stage, with the top five teams advancing to a seeded double-elimination playoff bracket. The champion will secure a slot to the EMEA Masters Spring Split, representing Northern Europe on the regional stage.”

The format for the Summer Split is reportedly undecided, but Riot Games pledged a return to normality and “stronger, more sustainable regional ecosystems.” However, it also noted that from 2027 the UK and Nordic regions would devolve into two seperate regions for the purposes of EMEA qualification.

Alongside the announcement, GameWaves and the NLC put out a public call for casters. However, this was met with some controversy due to the fact legacy NLC casters were seemingly not contacted immediately. The NLC later confirmed that it had put together a list of previous casters to contact, but also wanted to put out an open call as well.

The NLC, of course, has been mired in doubt since the start of 2026. While rumors of unpaid wages and unfulfilled contracts swirled at the end of 2025, the Riot Games formerly confirmed that previous organizer League ApS had ceased operating the league March 2026.

Several weeks later, the start of the NLC Spring Split was delayed due to no replacement tournament organizer being found.

Now a month and a half removed from the 2025 season, the league returns with a much depleted lineup and just two weeks to decide a winner.