---
title: "When Does League of Legends Season 16 Start? Everything Ranked Players Need to Know"
description: Season 16 of League of Legends starts January 8, 2026 arouind noon. Get the exact launch time and learn how to prepare for the new ranked season with our guide
thumbnail: "https://cdn.heimerdinger.lol/lol-s16-start.png"
date: 2026-01-07 # YYYY-MM-DD HH:MM:SS
tags:
    - League of Legends
    - Season 16
    - S16 Start
    - Ranked Season
    - Season 2026
    - LoL Season Start
hidden: false
---

If you're refreshing your League client every hour wondering when Season 16 kicks off, we've got you covered. Season 16 starts January 8, 2026 at noon local time.

Last season I made the mistake of jumping into ranked immediately after the season started without checking the patch notes. Ended up playing three games with outdated strategies before realizing the meta had shifted completely. Don't be like me.

## Exact Season 16 Launch Time

Mark your calendars for January 8, 2026 at 12:00 PM in your region. Riot typically launches new seasons at noon to avoid server overload and give players a chance to prepare their setups.

The ranked queue will not become available immediately after the patch goes live (which is usually at like 03:00 AM), so no need to wake up early. Your previous season's rank will determine your initial placement, though everyone starts with fresh placement matches.

## Getting Ready for Season 16

Before you queue up, check out our comprehensive post about all the Season 16 changes: [How to Prepare for LoL Season 16: New Role Quests and Major Map Changes Explained](/post/lol-season-16-changes-role-quests-map-changes). We break down the new items, champion adjustments and ranked system updates that will affect your climb.

There are lots of big changes this season to be excited about. Understanding these changes before your first game could be the difference between starting strong and digging yourself out of a hole.

## Smart Placement Strategy

Skip the first few hours, maybe even days. Seriously. The day new season comes out will bring out everyone from returning players to people testing new builds. Wait until the evening or even later in the week so things are a little more calm.

Use your placement matches to learn the meta instead of forcing your old strategies. Pay attention to what's working for high elo players and adapt quickly. The players who climb fastest in new seasons are the ones who identify strong picks early. If you think you've found some hidden OP pick, go for it!

[Season 16 is here](/post/lol-season-16-changes-role-quests-map-changes). Time to climb.
