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.

Ranked 5v5 vs Flex Queue

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.
Which queue when?

What Riot changed in Ranked 5s (2026)

Riot brought Ranked 5s back as an experiment aimed at healthier five-stack matchmaking. Riot's dev post on the return of Ranked 5s walks through why each change exists.
  • 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).
What Riot changed in Ranked 5s (2026)

Flex vs Ranked 5s

Quick reference for five-stacks. Exact rules follow Riot's live patches and the 2026 Ranked 5s experiment.

TopicFlex QueueRanked 5s
Party size1, 2, 3, or 5 players (4-player lobbies not allowed)Five-stack only (dedicated queue)
Locked rosterNot required (party size flexible)No. Any five friends each session
Friends at different ranksFlexible pairing (~1 full rank Iron–Diamond); five-stacks bypass most limits unless Master+ is in the lobbyAllowed. Matchmaking balances skill gaps
Queue availabilityAll the timeWeekends only, 9 PM to 1 AM local server time
Draft formatStandard ranked draftTournament draft (3 bans, 3 picks, 2 bans, 2 picks)
Who you faceOften mixed parties (solo, duo, trio, or five)Other five-stacks only (premade vs premade)
Typical volumeHigher volume, year-roundFewer games per week (weekend windows)
LoL Tracker trackingAutomatic from the Free planAutomatic from the Free plan
Public TeamScoreTeamScore focuses on Flex Queue five-stacksRanked 5v5 tracked separately on your team page

LoL Tracker tracks both on one team page with queue filters. TeamScore currently focuses on Flex Queue, while Ranked 5v5 tracking is displayed separately on your team page.

Go deeper

FAQ

Can LoL Tracker track both queues on one team page?
Yes. One team page with queue filters so Flex, Ranked 5s and scrims stay separate in your reviews.
Does TeamScore include Ranked 5s games?
TeamScore currently focuses on Flex Queue, while Ranked 5v5 tracking is displayed separately on your team page. Flex five-stack games count toward public TeamScore; scrims never do.
Which queue should we play or track first?
Flex if you want games all week and the most volume. Ranked 5v5 if your stack mainly plays weekend five-stack blocks. On LoL Tracker, track whichever you play most first, then add the other on the same team page.
Does TeamScore work like team Elo?
It is our public proxy for five-stack performance: win rate, sample size and tier weighting. It is not an official Riot team rank, and it excludes scrims by design.

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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