League Classic Is Ending: Every Date, the Refunds and Where to Play Next
Riot is shutting down League Classic on January 6, 2027, a little over five months after it launched with Season 3. Here is every date that matters until then, which Classic purchases come back as RP, where you can still queue, and where Classic players can go next.
Every date and amount on this page comes from Riot's October 14 dev post and its support page, linked on each line.
The Short Answer
League Classic closes on January 6, 2027. You can keep playing it until then, Classic-only cosmetics are refunded in RP, and Riot hopes to bring the mode back one day as an event.
When does it end?
On January 6, 2027. Classic Pass progress stops on January 4 at 11:59 pm PT, and the pass switches off on January 5 at 11:59 pm PT.
Riot Support: League Classic Pass and ContentDo I get my RP back?
For Classic-only cosmetics, yes. Classic Portraits come back as RP by November 30, 2026, and Classic chromas bought on their own are refunded in RP too.
See every refundCan I still play it?
Yes, until January. Nine regions are getting set Classic hours, with the start in the patch notes, and from patch 26.21 Japan and MENA keep custom games only.
Check your serverWill it come back?
Riot plans to put Classic
Riot, /dev: League Classicback in the box for now, with the goal of bringing it back, likely as an event mode with adjustments and additions.
There is no date.
Every Date Until Classic Closes
Times are Pacific, as Riot gives them. Riot says the dates can still change, and the schedule in the client has the final word.
- Oct 14, 2026Riot announces the end of ClassicThe dev post by Meddler and Pabro: Classic runs through the rest of Season 3, then ends its current run in January 2027.Riot, /dev: League Classic
- TodayOct 1880days left to play League Classic
- Oct 2011:00 am PTThe Act II Classic Pass starts, free for everyoneOne free track with six tiers. You clear Classic Missions for Classic Pass Coins and spend at least 125 coins to unlock each next tier; plain XP no longer moves the pass.Riot Support
- Oct 21Patch 26.21Japan and MENA go custom-only, the store shrinks, four champions joinClassic in Japan and MENA moves to custom games only, and the Classic store keeps only champions, runes and rune pages. Mordekaiser, Yorick, Hecarim and Lucian arrive. Set Classic hours in nine other regions start later; Riot will give the timing in the patch notes.
Riot, /dev: League Classic - Nov 4 and Nov 18Patches 26.22, 26.23More champions every patchRiot keeps adding champions through 26.23, including Volibear, Urgot and Udyr, the top 3 of its latest Council poll.
and more - By Nov 30Classic Portrait refunds land as RPRiot starts refunding 30 days after its notice. What each purchase gets back.Riot Support
- Jan 4, 202711:59 pm PTClassic Pass progress endsThe last moment to spend Classic Pass Coins.
- Jan 511:59 pm PTThe Classic Pass switches off
- Jan 6, 2027League Classic closesThe end of Season 3 Act II, and the end of Classic's current run.
- LaterMaybe back as an event modeRiot's goal, with no date. It also plans to share what it learned from Classic.
What Gets Refunded, and How Much
Riot refunds the Classic-only cosmetics that stop working when the mode closes. Find what you bought below.
- The RP you spentNov 30, 2026
A Classic Portrait from the store
- 200 RP per portraitPaid cash for the pass? You can ask Player Support for a refund to your payment method instead, within 30 days.Nov 30, 2026
Classic Portraits from the paid Classic Pass Act I
2,000 RP for that portraitNov 30, 2026The Classic Welcome Bundle
It included the Resplendent Explorer Ezreal portrait.
- The part of the price that paid for the portraits, in RPOr a refund to your payment method through Player Support within 30 days. Keeping the physical box? Ask Riot to remove the digital content and get 12,212 RP.Nov 30, 2026
The League of Legends Classic Collector's Box
- Refunded in RPNo date given
A Classic chroma bought on its own
Refunded in RPNo date givenFounder's Goth Annie and Founder's Black Alistar chromas
From the Legendary Welcome Bundle or the Classic Welcome Bundle, bought directly or in the Collector's Box.
Anything else follows Riot's normal refund policy.Riot Support: Content Refunds
Before Classic Closes: Four Things to Do
Spend your Classic Pass Coins by January 4
Pass progress ends on January 4 at 11:59 pm PT, so spend your coins before then. The top tier holds a random skin worth 520 to 1,350 RP. Riot does not say what happens to coins left over.
Level up your Classic Account
Riot asks for this before January 6 too. Classic Account Level rewards include rune pages.
Want cash instead of RP? Ask soon
If you paid cash for the Classic Pass Act I or bought the Collector's Box, Riot's support page gives you 30 days to ask Player Support for a refund to your payment method. It does not say when the 30 days start, so ask early.
Look for the RP by November 30
Portrait refunds arrive as RP by November 30, 2026. Chroma refunds have no date yet.
Can You Still Play Classic? It Depends on Your Server
Riot is adding windowed queues in some regions where we've seen especially strong migration back to modern modes
, and will confirm the timing in the patch notes. Find your server below.
Classic opens during set hours
The windows are in each server's own time. Riot will announce when they start in the patch notes.
- Korea
- Latin America North
- Latin America South
- Taiwan
- Vietnam
- Turkey
- Southeast Asia
- Oceania
- Russia
Custom games only
From the start of patch 26.21.
- Japan
- MENA
No change announced
Every other server, such as North America, EU West, EU Nordic & East and Brazil, is not on Riot's list.
Classic custom games stay open at all times, in every region, until Classic closes.Riot, /dev: League Classic
Why Riot Is Closing Classic
Classic brought back the original Summoner's Rift with 60 champions at launch, old-school items and the old rune pages, plus matchmaking updates, modern pings and optional WASD controls. It launched with Season 3 on July 29, 2026. Riot's dev post gives one reason for closing it:
At this point though, most have gone back to other parts of League.
In the regions where the most players went back, Riot says that led to especially long queue times and large MMR discrepancies
, so those regions get set hours instead of an all-day queue. Riot says it will share more later about what it learned: where Classic got it right, where it could have gone more classic
, and where sticking to the past held it back.
Where to Play After Classic
Going back to today's League after Classic means 173 champions instead of Classic's roster, today's runes instead of the old rune pages, and a different item shop. Each mode below runs on today's game, and Hexgate takes care of that homework in every one of them.
Summoner's Rift: ranked and Draft
The real game Classic was a snapshot of. The biggest change since Classic is everything before minions spawn.
Runes with one-click import, counters and ban targets Free
Items re-ranked in game against the five enemies you face Free
Lane matchup scoring and one-trick builds Pro
Lane Scouting of your opponents on the loading screen Pro+
Rusty? Easy champions for every role
Swiftplay
Shorter games on today's Rift, with your champions picked in the lobby.
The best Swiftplay picks for each slot's role, with runes and spells imported straight into the slot Free
Swiftplay picks and rules per role
ARAM Mayhem Season 3
36 new augments arrive on October 21 with patch 26.21.
An S to D tier under every augment card, in game Free
Every new Season 3 augment
Arena
Short rounds of team fights, with augment and item picks as the game goes on.
Arena tiers on the champions you are offered, and your next item ranked against the lobby Free
Arena tier list and builds
After every game
Catching up on years of changes goes faster when someone shows you what decided each game.
Match Breakdown after every ranked, Draft and Swiftplay game Pro+
Habits that repeat across your last 10 breakdowns of a role Pro+
Clips of every death, kill and assist Pro+
Classic closes in January. Your next game can start tonight. Hexgate is free: runes in champion select, items against the enemy team in game, tiers on every ARAM Mayhem augment card and on your Arena picks.
Frequently Asked Questions
When does League Classic end?
On January 6, 2027. Classic Pass progress ends on January 4 at 11:59 pm PT and the pass deactivates on January 5 at 11:59 pm PT. Riot says dates can change and the in-game schedule has the final word.
Why is League Classic shutting down?
Riot's October 14 dev post gives one reason: "At this point though, most have gone back to other parts of League." In regions where that move was strongest, Riot is adding queue windows.
Will I get a refund for League Classic?
For Classic-only cosmetics, yes, in RP. Classic Portraits are refunded by November 30, 2026: the RP you spent if you bought one in the store, 200 RP per portrait from the paid Classic Pass Act I, 2,000 RP for the Resplendent Explorer Ezreal portrait from the Classic Welcome Bundle, and the portraits' share of the price for the Collector's Box. Classic chromas bought on their own are refunded in RP too. If you paid cash for the Act I pass or the Collector's Box, you can ask Player Support for a refund to your payment method within 30 days.
Can I still play League Classic?
Yes, until January 6, 2027. Korea, Latin America North, Latin America South, Taiwan, Vietnam, Turkey, Southeast Asia, Oceania and Russia are getting queue windows, with the start date in the patch notes, and from patch 26.21 Japan and MENA get custom games only. Classic custom games stay available at all times in every region.
What are the League Classic queue windows?
Monday to Friday from 4 PM to 12 AM, and Saturday and Sunday from 10 AM to 1 AM, in server time. Riot lists them for Korea, Latin America North, Latin America South, Taiwan, Vietnam, Turkey, Southeast Asia, Oceania and Russia.
Will League Classic come back?
Riot hopes so. Its dev post says it will put Classic "back in the box for now, with the goal of bringing it back, likely as an event mode with adjustments and additions." There is no date.
What happens to my Classic Pass Coins?
Spend them before Classic Pass progress ends on January 4, 2027 at 11:59 pm PT. Riot asks players to use all their coins and level up their Classic Account before Classic closes, and does not say what happens to coins left over.
Which champions are still coming to League Classic?
Mordekaiser, Yorick, Hecarim and Lucian arrive in patch 26.21. Riot will keep adding champions every patch through 26.23, including Volibear, Urgot and Udyr, the top 3 of its latest Council poll.