There are two decisions rather than one package
The primary season announcement gives an explicit example: if one team chooses blue side, the other chooses the draft order. If the first team instead chooses first pick, its opponent chooses its side. The initial entitlement does not automatically award both preferred choices to the same team.
A useful viewing record consequently has two entries, side and pick order. Filling the second from the first without watching the draft can create a false discrepancy. The broadcast can correctly show a familiar team on blue while the draft sequence differs from what an older season led you to expect.
Watch the actual selection sequence
The team with the initial choice can prioritise one dimension for a particular game plan. That leaves another meaningful decision to its opponent. A change in the resulting combination does not by itself show a team surrendered its entire selection entitlement or that the graphic’s team colours were swapped.
For an archive comparison, retain the announcement and the completed draft. A shot of the map-side graphic may identify only one decision, while the champion-selection sequence supplies evidence about the other. Those are complementary parts of the same competitive setup.
Keep First Selection distinct from Fearless Draft
Riot introduces First Selection alongside its discussion of Fearless Draft, but these labels answer different questions. The former concerns side and pick-order choices. A separate champion-availability rule should not be inferred from the side-colour decision alone.
The official 2026 season announcement was checked on 4 November. It states an intended rollout across regions from the season’s start, while a particular competition’s current rules remain the reference for its actual entitlement sequence. This article does not claim to adjudicate an unseen draft or determine who held the initial right in a named match.