League of Legends Patch 26.6 Preview: Azir Buffed While Ahri Got Nerfed

League of Legends fans have something new to look forward to as Lead Gameplay Designer Matt Leung-Harrison shared a preview of League of Legends Patch 26.6 on X. The update is expected to go live on March 18, 2026.

According to the preview, champions like Azir, Cassiopeia, and Olaf are set to receive buffs. Meanwhile, Ahri and Pyke are expected to be nerfed. The patch will also include a few system adjustments. Here’s a quick look at the League of Legends Patch 26.6 preview before it arrives on the live servers.

League of Legends Patch 26.6 Preview: All Buffs and Nerfs

As discussed, @RiotPhroxzon has shared an overview of the LoL patch 26.6 before it goes live on the servers. While patch 26.5 was quite smooth in terms of balance changes, patch 26.6 is also expected to follow the same path. It's quite evident that developers at Riot always listen to its fans and implement changes according to the community's needs.

And this time, it's no exception. A plethora of overpowered Champions got nerfed, while lowkeys will receive significant nerf. On that note, let's get a brief on League of Legends patch 26.6:

Champion Buffs

• Azir
• Cassio
• Lissandra
• Olaf
• Skarner
• Tryndamere

Both Azir and Skarner have been out of the spotlight for quite some time. That's why the developers decided to provide a significant buff to them. Meanwhile, Olaf was quite a weak character in his role; hence, the Riot team decided to give him more power.

Champion Nerfs

• Ahri
• Pyke
• Shen
• Zaahen

Shen is currently one of the strongest Jungle Champions in the current patch. And that's why the devs decided to nerf the character a bit. On the other hand, Zaahen also features a strong pick rate and acts as a strong Jungle player. For that reason, the developers are mainly focusing on nerfing that part of his abilities. Check out our coverage on League of Legends new Update schedule.

Champion Adjustments

• Karthus

System Adjustments in LoL Patch 26.6

Apart from the Champion changes, @RiotPhroxzon also mentioned a bit on the upcoming system adjustments in the League of Legends patch 26.6 overview.

Systems such as Chempunk Chainsword, Sunfire Aegis, and Support Item Penalty are receiving buffs. Matt Leung-Harrison mentioned on his X post that:

That's the overview on LoL patch 26.6. We'll make sure to add something more when we get our hands on the full patch on March 18, 2026. In the meantime, check out our recent coverage for the Top 10 LoL players of all time.