League of Legends tier list: Which champions work best in the current meta?

League of Legends is a MOBA that has been around since 2009, quickly rising to become one of the most popular games in the world. As the years have passed, the roster of playable champions in League of Legends has expanded significantly. At the time of writing – January 2026 2025–there are 172 champions in the game. 

Because of the sheer amount of champions to choose from, it can be more than a little intimidating when it comes to choosing who you want to play as. That’s where LoL tier lists come in, as they can be incredibly helpful in knowing which champions are the most effective in the game’s current meta. 

We have created our own League of Legends tier list to help you know exactly who the best character in League of Legends is in the game’s current state.

As is the case with a lot of online games, the meta of League of Legends changes with every patch release. Champions tend to receive changes during each patch, such as nerfs, buffs, or more significant reworks. Because of this, the best champions to play in League of Legends change constantly, making it difficult to know where to start when choosing the right character for you. 

Our League of Legends champions tier list will split the characters into one of the five roles in the game, those being:

The information compiled in our LoL tier list ranking is made up of data from the game’s recent patch notes as well as pro play trends and community performance data. Some of the community platforms we have used to collect this data include OP.GG, LoLalytics, Blitz.GG, Mobalytics, Metasrc, and U.GG. We will update our tier list as the meta continues to shift, so be sure to check back when a new patch update drops. 

We won’t be listing every single LoL champion in this tier list (there are a lot of them after all), but we will be highlighting some particularly noteworthy champions in each role for each tier. This will offer a good selection of top tier League of Legends champions in the current meta, as well as highlighting those that are best avoided. 

Here’s a quick rundown of the best champions ranked by tier in the current LoL meta. Bear in mind that while some champions are ineffective in a certain role, they might be considerably more effective in another role. 

The best champions in top lane include Singed, Sett, and Mordekaiser, among others. Singed, in particular, is known for his strong map pressure and tankiness, paired with oddly high mobility. He is an extreme threat in team fights with his late-game scaling.

Sett has the versatility, durability, damage, and CC to be dangerous throughout a match, while Mordekaiser is an incredible, 1v1 champion that has very few counters in lane. Another notable name is the newest champion, Zaahan, who has come in with a bang right to S-Tier, with great sustain and damage, while not being too difficult to play.

Those seeking a straightforward champion as a beginner need look no further than Garen. While low in the tier list, he’s a great way to learn the top lane role and prepare you to advance to more complicated champions later.

Some of the top S-Tier midlaners in the meta include Morgana, Orianna, and LeBlanc. Morganna is known for being dominant at high elo, thanks to strong wave clear and effective crowd control, while being able to counter enemy CC with her Black Shield ability.

Orianna is also highly picked at mid and high elo, being a versatile control mage with powerful zoning and high burst damage. Pair this with excellent late-game scaling, and a strong Orianna can be a massive problem for the enemy team. LeBlanc excels at piling the pressure with her pokes, and her mobility makes her elusive.

Those looking for a character to learn the mid lane role should direct their attention to Lux. Lux is still a reliable pick in the A-Tier and is a simple enough champion, mechanically speaking.

The best ADCs (aka bottom lane champions) include Jinx, Kai’ Sa, and Miss Fortune. Jinx’s prominence at the top of the ADC list shouldn’t be a surprise, given that she has somewhat become LoL’s mascot. With a versatile kit, mobility from her passive, strong late-game scaling, and ability to snowball team fights, she is an ideal ADC.

Kai’sa is a very adaptive champion, with her hybrid assassin abilities and AP/AD scaling, she is extremely deadly. Her stellar mobility also helps her, as it enables her to carry team fights with her late-game scaling. 

Miss Fortune has an argument to be in a tier of her own, being excellent in every category that an ADC needs, with a game-changing ultimate. Mobile, adaptable, high damage output, and excellent at laning, Miss Fortune being easy to play too, nearly always makes her a great choice.

A jungler’s role can be complicated, involving roaming, farming camps, and ganking, rather than sticking to a distinct lane. Junglers are vital for controlling objectives, while putting pressure on the enemy’s jungler, often requiring versatility. Needing to gank, control objectives, and get around quickly means champions like Ekko, Lee Sin, and Talon are best suited.

Ekko can make up for potentially poor positioning with his escape route-friendly kit, giving him high mobility and fast clear speeds. Lee Sin has great playmaking potential and is known for being strong in the early game, getting his team off to a quick start and leading to snowballing. Of course, he also has mighty mobility, great for ganking lanes.

Talon excels at roaming and picking off squishy targets. High mobility means it’s hard to escape Talon, although be wary that, with a high skill ceiling, it can be tough when learning him. Those wanting to learn the role should try the A-Tier Amumu. 

Even the best supports in League of Legends aren’t known for getting the glory in the game, but their utility to help the rest of the team shine is vital. The tough part for many champions is that they have to function well on low income, with Sona, Lulu, and Nami being some S-Tier options for the role.

Sona shines with immense scaling potential, making her a late-game juggernaut. Her healing, shielding, and speed boosts can make her the heartbeat of a team. Nami provides a versatile mix of healing and damage. Her hard CCs work well with an ADC, and she’s tough to pin down with her movement speed buffs. 

Those looking for an easy champion to learn the role should look to Lulu. She has a low skill ceiling, while having great utility and protection.

It’s important to remember that even if a champion is in D-Tier, this doesn’t necessarily mean they are unplayable. Certain team compositions can work well with any champion. It’s all down to personal skill, experience and preferences, so don’t worry if your favourite champions aren’t currently considered S-Tier. 

Keep in mind that this tier list is subject to change as the League of Legends meta continues to shift and change with each patch. Be sure to keep an eye out for updates to our tier list when the League of Legends meta shifts with the game patches.