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How to Play LoL Classic Mode

League of Legends Classic launches globally on July 29, 2026 at 8:00 a.m. PT inside the main League client. Mainland China uses July 30 and a dedicated entry in its existing client. The final global menu path is not yet confirmed in the public launch client.

Evidence Status Officially confirmed Last Verified Region Global-first guidance; mainland-China differences are labeled

Quick Answer

The most reliable answer now

League of Legends Classic launches globally on July 29, 2026 at 8:00 a.m. PT inside the main League client. Mainland China uses July 30 and a dedicated entry in its existing client. The final global menu path is not yet confirmed in the public launch client.

Start safely

Launch dates and client access

League of Legends Classic is Riot's official classic-era 5v5 experience. It is not a private server or a separate standalone game.

Use Riot's main League of Legends client. Existing installations do not need a separate Classic download. Avoid unofficial installers, invite forms, and private-server files.

Verified access information by service
ServiceLaunchClient entryEvidence
Global EnglishJuly 29, 2026, 8:00 a.m. PTMain League client; final click path unpublishedOfficially confirmed / path pending
Mainland ChinaJuly 30, 2026; associated with 26.15Dedicated entry in the existing clientOfficially confirmed for Tencent service
Evidence boundary

Not yet confirmed in the public launch client: the exact global button name, menu location, rollout behavior, and launch-hour troubleshooting flow.

Before queueing

Champions, runes and masteries

  • Launch starts with 60 champions: the original 40 plus 20 hand-selected champions released from 2009 through 2013.
  • Champions already owned in modern League are immediately available in Classic. Other champions can be unlocked through Classic Levels or the Classic Shop, and a free rotation is available.
  • Choose rune and mastery pages before entering a Classic game. Riot provides a default page when no setup is selected.
  • The complete 60-name launch roster and final per-champion data are still waiting for a first-party list or launch-client verification.

Launch queues

One PvP draft queue, bots and customs

PvP Draft

Officially confirmed

Riot lists one player-versus-player draft queue at launch. Positional preference ranks the roles you would rather play.

Co-op vs AI

Officially confirmed

A cooperative queue against bots is confirmed for launch.

Custom Games

Officially confirmed

Custom games are confirmed. Public material does not yet document every lobby rule or tournament setting.

Evidence boundary

Do not infer a separate ranked ladder, blind-pick queue, exact matchmaking rule, or region-by-region queue schedule from historical League.

Classic progression

Classic Levels, Summoner's Journey and The Council

  • Classic Levels are a free, one-time progression track that unlocks champions and systems.
  • After Classic Level 10, Summoner's Journey starts at Salt and can progress toward Legend. Riot describes the highest rank as an aspiration for a single-digit percentage of players, not as current performance data.
  • Seasonal passes include free and paid tracks; no purchase is needed to describe the free Classic Levels track.
  • The Council is unlocked through Classic Levels. Playing increases voting power, while Riot retains responsibility for game health and balance.

Needs launch verification

What this guide will recheck

  • Exact global and China client buttons and menu paths
  • Regional unlock timing, maintenance, and queue availability
  • The final 60-name roster and champion unlock prices
  • Final rune, mastery, item, custom-lobby, and progression details
  • Launch-specific errors and recovery steps

Quick checks

Frequently Asked Questions

01Do I need a separate League Classic client?

No. Riot says Classic runs inside the main League of Legends game client.

02Where is the League Classic button?

Tencent confirms a dedicated entry for mainland China, but the final global button name and menu path are not yet confirmed in the public launch client.

03Which queues launch with Classic?

Riot lists one PvP draft queue, Co-op vs AI, and Custom Games.

04Is the July 30 date global?

No. July 30 is the mainland-China service date. Riot's global English page lists July 29 at 8:00 a.m. PT.

Evidence ledger

Sources and verification dates

Claims use first-party evidence for the stated region. Public videos document observations only and do not imply creator endorsement.

Riot Games / League of Legends

/dev: League of Legends Classic

Scope
Global English
Last verified
July 15, 2026
Open source

Riot Games / League of Legends

League of Legends Classic Homepage

Scope
Global English
Last verified
July 14, 2026
Open source

Riot Games / League of Legends

Get Ready for League of Legends Classic

Scope
Global English
Last verified
July 14, 2026
Open source

Riot Games / League of Legends

TL;DW: Classic, Mayhem & More Dev Update

Scope
Global English
Last verified
July 15, 2026
Open source

Tencent Games / League of Legends China

经典模式定档7月30日，经典·战斗之夜 8月2日登场

Scope
Mainland China
Last verified
July 14, 2026
Open source

Tencent Games / League of Legends China

英雄联盟经典模式即将在26.15版本上线

Scope
Mainland China
Last verified
July 14, 2026
Open source