LCS Classic TSM vs CLG: The NALCS Rivalry Returns on July 24

TSM and CLG are playing each other again. On July 24, LCS Classic TSM vs CLG runs live from the Riot Games Arena in Los Angeles, on the old Summoner’s Rift, with the rosters still under wraps.

It sits inside the League Classic Takeover of LCS Summer Split Opening Week, presented by Mastercard, and it is being played on League Classic rather than the current game. That detail is the whole event.

What Is LCS Classic TSM vs CLG?

A one-day showmatch, built around the throwback mode Riot unveiled with a showmatch at the MSI 2026 Grand Final. Old NALCS names come back, the crowd picks a side, and everyone goes home.

If you watched North American League between 2013 and 2016, no further explanation is needed. TSM and CLG split the region’s fanbase down the middle for years. Regular season games between them drew playoff numbers, the subreddit turned into a war zone every time, and the rivalry survived roster changes, relegation scares and several complete rebuilds on both sides. Nothing in NA since has come close.

When and Where Does the Showmatch Take Place?

Friday, July 24, at the Riot Games Arena in Los Angeles. All times PDT:

• Doors open: 12:00 pm
• Broadcast starts: 12:30 pm
• Matches begin: 1:00 pm

The half hour of pre-show before the first game is where the roster introductions land, so it is worth tuning in early. Opening Week proper follows on the weekend. Our LCS Summer Split 2026 primer has the format, the Atlanta finale and the three Worlds spots on the line.

How Do You Get Tickets?

Sales open at 10:00 am PDT on July 15 through Tixr. Riot calls it a specialty ticketed event, which in practice means a small room and a fast sellout. Set an alarm.

Who Is Playing for TSM and CLG?

Riot has not said. The names are being drip-fed through the LCSOfficial X account, which is either good marketing or a stalling tactic, depending on how patient you are.

The MSI showmatch got Doublelift, Scarra, sOAZ and YellOwStaR on stage, so the bar is set. For this one, the only lineup that really works is the 2015-2016 core on both sides, and Bjergsen is the name the whole thing hinges on. A TSM roster without him would still be fun. It would not be the rivalry.

Why League Classic Makes This Matchup Work

Put retired pros on the 2026 client and you get a charity match. Nobody remembers the champion pool, the map has been redrawn twice, and half the audience is watching people who last played competitively a decade ago fumble around in a game they never learned.

League Classic solves that. The mode rebuilds League around the Season 3 era: old map, old items, runes and masteries, a much smaller champion roster. Lane pressure works the way it did. Jungle pathing works the way it did. Objective timings work the way they did. These players get their game back instead of someone else’s.

Riot is releasing the mode to everyone on July 29, five days after the showmatch, which tells you exactly what the showmatch is for.

What to Watch For

• Roster reveals on the LCSOfficial X account
• Ticket sales, 10:00 am PDT on July 15 via Tixr
• The rest of the League Classic Takeover across Opening Week
• League Classic going live on July 29