Five-stack formats
Ranked 5v5 vs Flex Queue
Your five-stack can grind Flex all week or queue Ranked 5s on weekend nights. Same friends, different rules, schedules, and opponents. Here is how to choose.
What most stacks actually do
Tryhard stacks mix Flex on weekdays with Ranked 5s on weekends; casual groups usually stay Flex-first. All three formats can share one LoL Tracker page with clean filters.
Weekday grind
Flex Queue
Queue whenever ranked is open. Parties of 1, 2, 3, or 5 (never 4). Iron through Diamond can pair within about one full rank; five-stacks get broader pairing unless someone is Master+. You often run into solo, duo, or trio opponents.
Weekend ladder
Ranked 5s
Weekends only, 9 PM to 1 AM in your region's local server time. Five-stack lobbies only, facing other full premades. Any five friends can queue together at any rank. Tournament draft (3 bans, 3 picks, 2 bans, 2 picks) in champ select.
Which queue when?
Most stacks treat Flex as the default: more games, easier subs, standard ranked draft, and enough volume for meaningful reviews and TeamScore. Use Ranked 5v5 when you want a focused weekend block with other full premades and coordinated tournament draft.
- Flex: weekday grinds, champion tests, mixed party sizes.
- Ranked 5s: weekend ladder nights with your full five.
- Both formats can live on one LoL Tracker page with separate filters.
What Riot changed in Ranked 5s (2026)
- No locked roster: queue with any five friends each session.
- No rank gates: matchmaking balances skill gaps.
- Weekends only, with tournament draft (3-3-2-2).
Flex vs Ranked 5s
Quick reference for five-stacks. Exact rules follow Riot's live patches and the 2026 Ranked 5s experiment.
| Topic | Flex Queue | Ranked 5s |
|---|---|---|
| Party size | 1, 2, 3, or 5 players (4-player lobbies not allowed) | Five-stack only (dedicated queue) |
| Locked roster | Not required (party size flexible) | No. Any five friends each session |
| Friends at different ranks | Flexible pairing (~1 full rank Iron–Diamond); five-stacks bypass most limits unless Master+ is in the lobby | Allowed. Matchmaking balances skill gaps |
| Queue availability | All the time | Weekends only, 9 PM to 1 AM local server time |
| Draft format | Standard ranked draft | Tournament draft (3 bans, 3 picks, 2 bans, 2 picks) |
| Who you face | Often mixed parties (solo, duo, trio, or five) | Other five-stacks only (premade vs premade) |
| Typical volume | Higher volume, year-round | Fewer games per week (weekend windows) |
| LoL Tracker tracking | Automatic from the Free plan | Automatic from the Free plan |
| Public TeamScore | Five-stack games count | Five-stack games count |
LoL Tracker tracks both on one team page with queue filters. Public TeamScore counts five-stack games from Flex and Ranked 5s when your full roster queues together.
Go deeper
FAQ
Can LoL Tracker track both queues on one team page?
Does TeamScore include Ranked 5s games?
Which queue should we play or track first?
Does TeamScore work like team Elo?
Track both formats on one team page
Play Flex for volume, Ranked 5s for ladder nights. LoL Tracker keeps the reviews separate.
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