Best LoL Champions (Patch 26.21)
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Best LoL Champions (Patch 26.21)

22 October 2026 · 3 min read · Gaming

The best champions in League of Legends on patch 26.21 are the ones sitting in the top tier of every major tracker at once. Across all five roles that means Cho’Gath, Jinx, Leona, Thresh, Ahri, Gangplank, Yasuo and Wukong — champions with strong win rates in U.GG, OP.GG, Lolalytics and Mobalytics alike.

Here are the best LoL champions overall on patch 26.21, how we ranked them, and the top pick in each role.

Cho’Gath
#1 jungler, 4/4 consensus

Jinx
#1 ADC, 4/4 consensus

26.21
Current patch

Emerald+
Solo queue, worldwide

Best LoL champions (patch 26.21)

Champions in the top tier of U.GG, OP.GG, Lolalytics and Mobalytics all at once.

Champion Role Why pick
Cho’Gath Jungle #1 jungler everywhere; reliable objectives and control
Jinx ADC #1 marksman; best scaling in the bot lane
Leona Support Top-4 support; best engage for solo queue
Thresh Support #1 win rate support; carries without gold
Ahri Mid #1 mid at OP.GG; safe and beginner-friendly
Gangplank Top Only top-laner with 4/4 consensus; late-game monster
Yasuo Mid Flexes mid, bot and top; sky-high carry ceiling
Wukong Jungle Top-2 jungler; simple kit, team-fight ultimate
Best LoL champions overall on patch 26.21, led by Cho'Gath and Jinx
The best League of Legends champions overall on patch 26.21.

How we ranked them

Rather than trust one tier list, we picked the champions that land in the top tier of all four major trackers — U.GG, OP.GG, Lolalytics and Mobalytics — on Emerald+ solo-queue data. That “4/4 consensus” filters out single-source outliers and leaves the champions who are genuinely strong from any angle. Cho’Gath and Jinx headline as the clear best in their roles, while Leona, Thresh, Ahri and Gangplank each top their lanes. Because patch 26.21 is only a day or two old, we leaned on the larger patch 26.20 sample too — the patch Worlds 2026 is being played on.

The top picks explained

Four champions that are strong no matter who you ask.

🐊
Cho’Gath
Jungle
#1 jungler; scales into an unkillable objective-taker

#1

🔫
Jinx
ADC
#1 marksman; one reset can end a team fight

Carry

🦊
Ahri
Mid
#1 mid; safe, mobile and great for newer players

Mid

⚓
Gangplank
Top
The one top-laner with 4/4 consensus; global R

Top

More LoL? See our best champions by role, best champions to climb and role lists for supports and ADCs.

Best champion by role

The single strongest pick in each role this patch.

Role Top pick
Top Gangplank (or Malphite for beginners)
Jungle Cho’Gath
Mid Ahri
ADC Jinx
Support Leona or Thresh

Best LoL champions FAQ

What’s the best champion in LoL right now?
It depends on the role, but Cho’Gath (jungle) and Jinx (ADC) are the clearest best-in-role picks on patch 26.21, each topping all four major trackers. Leona, Thresh, Ahri and Gangplank lead the other lanes.

What does “4/4 consensus” mean?
It means the champion sits in the top tier of all four trackers we check — U.GG, OP.GG, Lolalytics and Mobalytics — at the same time, rather than being strong on just one site.

What are the best champions for beginners?
Malphite (top), Cho’Gath or Wukong (jungle), Ahri (mid), Miss Fortune or Jinx (ADC) and Leona or Braum (support) are all strong this patch and have low difficulty ratings.

Which champions are strongest at Worlds 2026?
The pro meta differs from solo queue — at the play-in, Nocturne was banned in almost every game, with Seraphina, Olaf, Vi and Ezreal also heavily contested. Pro priority and solo-queue win rate don’t always line up.

Does this change with the patch?
Yes — LoL patches roughly every two weeks and the best champions shift each time. This list is current for patch 26.21 and we refresh it as the meta moves.

Win rates and tiers are Emerald+ solo-queue data from U.GG, OP.GG, Lolalytics and Mobalytics on patch 26.21 (22 October 2026). LoL patches roughly every two weeks, so we update this list each patch.

🕹️
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The EverythingEdinburgh Gaming team covers esports, PC, console and gaming industry news.