"Custom Games Always Available"… Classic League of Legends matches go to timed queues from 26.21, not January

The LoL Classic Korean server queue will open only 8 hours on weekdays and 15 hours on weekends starting with the 26.21 patch. January 2027 is not when the timed queue begins but the month the current operation ends.

Translated from Korean with AI assistance. Read the original. Sources and original publication dates are retained.

Three-line summary

The timed queue for the LoL Classic Korean server applies from the 26.21 patch, not January 2027.
Matchmaking opens 16:00–24:00 on weekdays and 10:00–01:00 the next day on weekends, so the queue runs only 70 hours a week.
Custom games can be played in all regions without time limits, and the Act 2 battle pass is free.

On October 14, Riot Games announced changes to LoL Classic operations. A day later, an Inven article headline read "Switching to a timed queue from next January." From the headline alone, it is easy to read that the mode can still be played as it is until January. In fact, that is not the case. The timed queue begins with the 26.21 patch onward, and January 2027 is the month the current operation ends.

26.21 patch timed queue, operations end January 2027

Riot Customer Support Arranged by date, the notice reads as follows. With the 26.21 patch, the Korean server queue switches to timed hours. From the same patch, only custom games remain on the Japan and Middle East servers. Current operations wrap up in January 2027, when 2026 Season 3 ends. Riot's stated reason is that players moving to other modes has lengthened matchmaking waits and widened MMR (skill rating) gaps.

Classic Operations Change Schedule

Timing	Change	Target
26.21 patch	Timed queue applied	Korean server
26.21 patch	Custom games only	Japan and Middle East servers
26.23 patch	Finishing old-version champion additions (planned)	Classic
January 2027	2026 Season 3 ends, current operations wrap up	Classic

League of Legends match hours, Korean server 70 hours per week

Korean server Classic matchmaking opens on weekdays, by server time, from 16:00~24:00, and on weekends from 10:00~01:00 the next day. Eight hours a day across five weekdays comes to 40 hours, and 15 hours a day across two weekend days comes to 30 hours. Of the 168 hours in a week, 70 hours, or about 42%, is when the queue runs. Weekday daytime matchmaking is gone. This is only the time when auto-matchmaking is available, not a tournament schedule.

There is still a way to play with friends when the queue is closed. Riot Games said in its notice, "Classic Custom games will also be available at all times, in all regions." This means Classic custom games can be opened in every region without time limits. Community in-house matches or games with friends can be set up regardless of queue hours.

Free battle pass and champion additions through the 26.23 patch

Content for the remaining period has also been set. The Classic Act 2 battle pass will come as a single free track. Adding old-version champions is expected to continue through the 26.23 patch. Riot said its goal is to bring Classic back as an event mode with added changes and content. Riot explained that it has not yet set a date for the return.

This notice covers matchmaking operations for the game mode. The notice does not include changes to tournament match times or broadcast platforms. There is no basis for reading the guidance that custom games can always be opened as a promise that it continues past January.

Frequently Asked Questions

Q. Are League of Legends match schedules changing too?

This Riot notice covers operational changes to the LoL Classic mode. Besides matchmaking hours, it also includes battle pass and champion addition schedules and plans for future return. No official announcement has confirmed changes to tournament schedules or how to watch, so it is most accurate to check each tournament organizer's announcements separately.

Q. When does the LoL Classic timed queue apply?

It applies starting with the 26.21 patch. January 2027 is when current operations wrap up as 2026 Season 3 ends.

Q. Can LoL Classic custom games still be played when the queue is closed?

Yes. Riot announced that Classic custom games can be played in all regions without time limits. Japan and Middle East servers support only custom games starting with the 26.21 patch.

Related Official Sites

League of Legends Korea official website — check patch notes and official announcements
LoL Esports official match schedule — check League of Legends tournament schedules and match results
Riot Games League of Legends Customer Support — inquiries about purchased content and accounts

Representative image · Not an archival photo of the current match in the article · Photo composite · Photo=Wikimedia Commons (Bruce Liu), CC BY-SA 3.0 · Photo=Wikimedia Commons (Chris Yunker), CC BY 2.0 · Photo=Flickr (LGEPR), CC BY 2.0