League of Legends has 173 playable champions as of August 2026. For anyone asking how many champions are in League of Legends, that is the current confirmed total following Locke’s release in June 2026. Riot continues to introduce new champions, meaning the total can change with future releases. This article explains the current League of Legends champion count, the newest additions, champion roles and classes, how the roster has grown since 2009, and why League Classic has a different champion total.
How Many Champions Are in League of Legends in 2026?
There are currently 173 playable League of Legends champions as of August 2026. League of Legends has built a large playable roster since its 2009 release. The newest champion is Locke, the Ashen Exorcist, who became the 173rd champion in June 2026. Riot Games explicitly identifies Locke as the League’s 173rd champion.
It is important to note that champion reworks do not increase the total champion count. When Riot updates an existing champion’s visuals or gameplay, the champion retains its original identity and roster slot. The count of 173 refers specifically to the main modern League of Legends champion roster. This number may increase when Riot releases another champion.
| Question | Answer |
| How many champions are in League of Legends? | 173 |
| Current as of | August 2026 |
| Newest champion | Locke |
| Locke’s position in the roster | 173rd champion |
The League of Legends champion count has become a common point of reference for players discussing the game’s scope. Checking the date of any source is essential when verifying the current LoL champions 2026 total.
How Are League of Legends Champions Divided?
Having 173 champions does not mean every champion serves the same purpose. Riot categorises champions in two main ways: by role (the position they commonly occupy on Summoner’s Rift) and by class (their broader gameplay identity).
Champion Roles
The five common Summoner’s Rift positions are:
- Top
- Jungle
- Mid
- Bot (ADC/Marksman)
- Support
Champions are commonly associated with one or more positions, but a champion’s viable position can change as balance updates and strategies evolve. For example, a champion designed for the jungle may later become viable in top lane after certain adjustments. Therefore, assigning a rigid numerical total to each lane is not practical unless using current Riot data. LoL champion roles are fluid and subject to change over time.
Champion Classes
Riot’s broader gameplay classes include:
- Tanks
- Fighters
- Assassins
- Mages
- Marksmen
- Supports
Riot’s official League site groups champions into these broad categories. Class and lane are not the same thing. Champions from the same class can sometimes be played in different positions, for instance, a mage might be played in the mid lane, bot lane or even as a support depending on the team composition and patch. Understanding how League of Legends champions are classed provides context for how the roster is organised beyond simple lane assignments.
Who Are the Newest League of Legends Champions?
League of Legends’ champion roster continues to grow in 2026, reaching 173 champions with the recent addition of Locke. For players wondering how many champions are in League of Legends, understanding the most recent additions helps track the game’s evolving pool. Here is a breakdown of the newest champions and their roles.
Locke
Locke is the newest champion as of August 2026. Riot calls him League’s 173rd champion. He arrived on live servers in Patch 26.13 on 24 June 2026. Locke, the Ashen Exorcist, is a Demacian exorcist who wields Soul Nails and forbidden rites, designed primarily for the mid lane as an AP assassin.
Recent Champions Before Locke
Before Locke, several champions joined the roster in 2025 and early 2026:
- Zaahen, the 172nd champion, a Darkin designed for the top lane
- Yunara, the 171st champion, an Ionian marksman (ADC) released in July 2025
- Mel, the 170th champion, introduced in early 2025
- Ambessa, the 169th champion, released in late 2024
These additions show why older pages answering the primary keyword “how many champions in League of Legends” may contain lower totals. Any article stating 170, 171 or 172 champions was likely published before more recent champion releases.
How Has the League of Legends Champion Roster Grown?
League of Legends launched in 2009 with a roster considerably smaller than today’s 173-champion selection. In the game’s early years, Riot Games added champions at a rapid pace. This aggressive release schedule helped build a diverse roster quickly, giving players a wide range of playstyles and roles to explore.
As the game matured and the roster became more established, Riot slowed the release cadence, focusing instead on quality, balance and unique mechanics. The count continued to climb, passing 100 champions and later 150, before eventually reaching 173 with Locke’s arrival in June 2026. The steady growth reflects Riot’s ongoing commitment to expanding the game’s world and offering fresh gameplay experiences.
| Period | Roster development |
| 2009 | League of Legends launches |
| Early years | Frequent new champion releases |
| Later years | Roster passes 100 and then 150 champions |
| 2026 | Roster reaches 173 champions |
Riot also updates older champions through visual and gameplay updates. These reworks allow the existing roster to change without increasing the number of champions. In some cases, these updates are so extensive that a champion feels completely new, yet the total count remains unchanged. The League of Legends champion count therefore grows only when a completely new champion is introduced, not when existing ones are revised. This distinction is important for understanding why the total is 173 today, even though many champions have been significantly altered over the years.
League of Legends Champions vs League Classic
In 2026, Riot introduced League Classic, a separate mode that uses a different roster from the modern version of League of Legends. This mode was designed to offer players a nostalgic experience, revisiting the game’s earlier seasons with the mechanics and champion balance of that era.
The modern version of League of Legends has 173 champions. League Classic launched with a smaller selection, as Riot confirmed that Classic began with 60 champions, consisting of the original 40 launch champions plus 20 additional champions released between 2009 and 2013. Riot plans to add more champions drawn from League’s earlier years. The Council, League Classic’s community voting system, will help guide decisions such as which champions are introduced next.
| Version | Champion roster |
| Modern League of Legends | 173 |
| League Classic at launch | 60 |
This distinction helps prevent confusion when users encounter different champion counts in current searches. The answer to “how many champions are in League of Legends” depends on the version of the game and whether the reference is to the main game or separate Classic mode.
Why Does the Number of League of Legends Champions Change?
Riot continues to develop new champions as part of its ongoing commitment to refreshing the game and introducing new strategic possibilities. Each completely new champion increases the roster count by one. This process involves extensive design, testing and lore development before a champion reaches the live servers. Champion visual and gameplay updates, sometimes referred to as reworks, generally retain the same champion identity and therefore do not create an additional roster entry. These updates modernise older champions but leave the overall total unchanged. Even the introduction of separate game modes like League Classic does not alter the main game’s champion count.
The total should therefore be checked against current Riot information when the article is updated. Riot’s official champion page describes the League as having over 170 champions, while the Locke announcement gives the exact current milestone of 173. Readers should always refer to Riot’s official channels for the most accurate and up-to-date figure, as third-party sources may lag behind new releases or contain outdated information. The champion count is a dynamic number that changes only when a completely new character is introduced to the game’s main roster.
FAQ LoL Champions
How many champions are in League of Legends right now?
173 as of August 2026. The count changes only with new champion releases; reworks, skins and balance patches do not affect it. Check Riot’s official site for the most accurate figure.
Who is the newest League of Legends champion?
Locke, League’s 173rd champion, released in Patch 26.13 on 24 June 2026. He is a Demacian exorcist who plays as an AP assassin in the mid lane.
How many champions did League of Legends start with?
League of Legends launched with 40 champions in 2009. The modern roster had expanded to 173 champions by August 2026.
Do champion reworks increase the champion count?
No. Reworks modernise older champions but retain their original roster slot. Only completely new champions increase the total.
Are there 173 champions in League Classic?
No. League Classic launched with a separate roster of 60 champions and currently does not include all 173 champions from the modern game.
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