Culture/Entertainment · NEWS EXPLAINER
League Classic ends its current run January 6: queue windows, free pass and refunds explained
Riot will end the current League Classic run on January 6, 2027. Before then, some regions move to scheduled queues, Act II gets a free pass track, the store narrows, and eligible Classic-only cosmetics enter different refund paths.
Riot Games says League Classic will remain available through the end of Season 3 Act II and end its current run on January 6, 2027. Riot describes this as putting Classic away for now, with a goal of returning it later, likely as an adjusted event mode.
January 6 ends this run, not necessarily Classic forever
Riot’s October 14 developer update says most players have moved back to other parts of League of Legends, so the current Classic run will finish in January 2027. The support page gives the precise availability date: January 6. Riot says it wants to bring Classic back later, likely as a limited event with changes and additions, but it has not announced a return date or guaranteed a permanent mode. Players should therefore treat January 6 as the end of this version rather than assume immediate replacement access.
Some regions get scheduled queues from Patch 26.21
Riot says lower-population regions have suffered longer waits and wider matchmaking-rating gaps. Starting with Patch 26.21, Korea, Latin America North and South, Taiwan, Vietnam, Turkey, Southeast Asia, Oceania and Russia move to windowed matchmaking: Monday through Friday from 4 p.m. to midnight server time, and Saturday and Sunday from 10 a.m. to 1 a.m. server time. Japan and Middle East/North Africa move to custom matches only. Custom games remain available at all times in all regions. Server time is the relevant clock, not necessarily the player’s local time.
The Act II pass is free, but its deadlines come before January 6
The Act II Classic Pass starts October 20 at 11 a.m. Pacific and has one free progression track. Riot’s schedule says progress ends January 4 at 11:59 p.m. Pacific, while the pass deactivates January 5 at 11:59 p.m. Pacific. The mode itself remains available through January 6. That separation matters: waiting until the final gameplay day can be too late to earn or spend pass progress. The pass uses Classic Pass Coins to unlock rewards tier by tier, rather than granting every reward automatically.
Refunds depend on the exact item and purchase route
Riot says eligible Classic-only cosmetics will be refunded, but the amount and method vary. Directly purchased Classic Portraits return the RP spent; portraits from the paid Act I pass are valued at 200 RP each, with a support route for buyers who prefer the original cash payment method and contact Player Support within 30 days. Riot lists separate treatment for welcome bundles, the Collector’s Box and Classic Chromas. Many published RP refunds are due by November 30, 2026. Keep purchase records and use the official support article for the exact item instead of assuming every purchase gets the same refund.
The store narrows while new champions continue
From Patch 26.21, the Classic store is limited to champions, runes and rune pages. The Act II pass is free, and Riot says it will continue adding champions through Patch 26.23, including names selected through its Council poll. These additions do not change the January 6 end date. Players who already own a champion in the main game do not need to buy that champion again for Classic. Avoid spending based on an assumption that Classic-only cosmetics will remain usable after the current run.
A practical checklist before the mode closes
First, check whether your shard moves to a windowed queue and convert the published server-time window carefully. Second, finish pass progress by January 4 and spend coins before the pass deactivates on January 5. Third, save receipts or account records for portraits, chromas, passes and bundles. Fourth, read the official refund table for the exact acquisition route and contact Player Support promptly if the original payment method matters. Finally, do not read Riot’s hoped-for event-mode return as a confirmed date or permanent commitment.
