North American esports organisation Sentinels will officially join the League Championship Series (LCS) for the 2026 season.
According to announcements from both LoL Esports and Sentinels, the organisation has secured a place in North America’s premier League of Legends competition, marking a return to the MOBA title for the first time since its days as Phoenix1.
Rob Moore, CEO of Sentinels, commented on the expansion: “This is the next stage in Sentinels’ evolution. We started in 2018 with a focus on the newest games like Fortnite, where Sentinels Bugha brought home the inaugural Fortnite World Cup in 2019, VALORANT, where we have brought home two international trophies, and most recently Marvel Rivals, where we qualified for the first international event but did not manage to bring home a trophy.
“Now, entering the most popular and enduring game in the world, League of Legends, is the natural next step.”
The announcement arrives as the LCS prepares to return to an independent league model in 2026, with Sentinels becoming the league’s eighth permanent partner team. Before the Sentinels brand was established, the organisation competed in the LCS as Phoenix1 from Summer 2016 through Summer 2017.
The roster also represented North America at the first Rift Rivals event in Berlin, helping the region defeat EU with a 4-2 record that included a perfect 2-0 performance against G2 Esports. In Summer 2017, Phoenix1 was home to Mike ‘MikeYeun’ Yeung, who claimed Rookie of the Split.
Sentinels has since built a championship pedigree in Riot Games’ tactical shooter VALORANT, winning two international trophies at VALORANT Masters Madrid 2024 and VALORANT Masters Reykjavík 2021.
Sentinels’ LCS Plan
According to the release, Sentinels will invest in multi-year infrastructure, coaching and player development to build a roster combining veteran experience with emerging talent. The organisation will announce staffing, roster timelines and community initiatives in the months ahead.
Moore added: “Riot has been a great partner to our organisation. We have seen first-hand how a clear competitive framework and strong live events can grow a scene and energise fans. Our goal is to help elevate the LCS while building a roster and style of play that our supporters can rally behind.”
The announcement was accompanied by a tongue-in-cheek video from legendary LCS player Yiliang ‘Doublelift’ Peng, who appeared in a Sentinels uniform to welcome the organisation to the league. He confirmed that he would not be joining the roster or working with the team — though he joked about wanting to meet TenZ, Sentinels’ star VALORANT player.
