Let's start with the bottom line: in LoL, your account is tied to the region (server) where it was first created. Just changing your IP on a Korean account won't let you play on the NA server. But there are definitely realistic ways to play on a different server. In this article, we lay out the three methods that actually work as of 2026, in order of reliability.
Here's the short version. The most reliable approach is to create a new account on the server you want (Method 1). If you don't need your existing account's progress, this is the answer. The second is using a VPN to work around your sign-up region (Method 2), and the third is the unified account (Regionless) direction Riot is pushing toward (Method 3). If you want to move your existing account as is, there's also an official option: a paid region transfer. Let's go through each one step by step below.
Method 1. Create a New Account on That Server (Most Reliable)
The most reliable and safest way to play on a different server is to create a new account on that server. There's no worry about violating the terms of service, and ping is the only variable, so this is what we recommend most when you want to play with friends in NA or EU or experience an overseas server environment. A Riot account's region is set at sign-up, so the key is choosing the region you want during the sign-up step.
- Go to Riot Games' official sign-up page, and during the sign-up process select your Region of residence as the server you want. For example: North America (NA), Europe West (EUW).
- Create the account with a new email and password. It will be a separate account from your existing Korean account.
- Download and install the League of Legends client for that region. You can select the region when installing the client, or it will connect you to the server matching your account's region once you log in.
- When you log in, you'll start at level 1. Ranked games become available once your summoner level is 30 or higher.
The downside is clear. None of your existing account's champions, skins, rank, or progress carry over. On the new server, you have to start over at level 1, unranked. So if you want to keep your progress, it's better to consider the paid region transfer below.
Method 2. Work Around Your Sign-Up Region with a VPN
With a VPN, you can change your IP to the country you want during sign-up, prompting Riot to classify your account into that region. This is the method people use when the sign-up page only opens in certain regions, or when creating a new account on a server that's hard to select directly from Korea. To be honest, though, we don't recommend this method. Location spoofing isn't recommended under Riot's terms, there's a risk of penalties if you're caught, and your ping goes up too. Still, the method itself is as follows.
- Install a trustworthy VPN and connect to a server in the country of the server you want (for example, the US or Germany).
- With the VPN connected, go to Riot's sign-up page and create a new account. The account is created in that region based on your masked IP.
- Install that region's client and log in.
- From then on, you have to connect through a VPN in the same region each time you play on that account for it to match properly.
Method 3. Regionless: Riot's Unified Account Direction
In the long run, Riot is moving toward decoupling accounts from regions. It has already converted every player's account into a global Riot Account, so you can log in to multiple games and servers with a single ID. In 2025, it also did work to merge adjacent servers, such as the Southeast Asia (SEA) server consolidation.
That said, even as of 2026, a complete Regionless system where one account can freely move between all regions and even play ranked is not yet available. In other words, unified login and server consolidation have progressed, but accounts are still tied to a specific League of Legends region. So if you want to play on a different server right now, Method 1 or 2 is the realistic choice. Regionless is a direction worth watching, but until it's announced, waiting is the answer.
Note: Differences in Terms of Service, Ping, and Rank
- Terms of service: Location spoofing (VPN) is not recommended by Riot. Creating a new account and an official paid transfer are the safe choices.
- Ping: The farther a server is physically, the larger the delay (ping). NA and EU servers can see significantly higher ping when connecting from Korea.
- Rank: A new account has its rank reset. You have to reach level 30 to unlock ranked, and start over from placement matches on the new server.
- Progress: Champions, skins, and match history are tied to the account. They don't carry over to a new account; only a paid transfer moves your existing account as is.
For reference, not only the main League of Legends game but also Teamfight Tactics follows the same Riot account system, so the methods above apply identically. Once you've decided which server to start on, you just need to select the region accurately during the sign-up step.
No matter which server you play on, great moments don't come around again. Whether it's your first pentakill on a new server or a comeback win with overseas friends, leaving DOR running automatically detects your best moments and saves them as clips. You don't have to worry about a record button: just focus on the game, and afterward gather up the highlights and watch.
