LoL Worlds 2026 is already in progress, with 19 teams from six regional leagues competing for the Summoner’s Cup and the $5 million prize. The Championship runs from October 15 to November 14 across three US locations. But with so many teams, different tournament stages, and matches taking place across multiple time zones, keeping track of everything isn’t exactly easy.
So, this is the place if you want someone to brief you on all of what’s happening in LoL Worlds 2026.
League of Legends Worlds 2026 dates and schedule
League of Legends Worlds 2026 runs from October 15 (play-ins) to November 14 (finals).
| Stage | What is this stage? | Date | Location |
|---|---|---|---|
| Play-in stage | A mini-tourney where 4 teams compete for the last Worlds spot in the Swiss stage | October 15–18 | Los Angeles, California |
| Swiss stage (group stage) |
The main tournament stage, narrowing 16 teams down to 8 | October 23–31 | Allen, Texas |
| Knockout stage (quarterfinals & semifinals) |
Elimination rounds after Swiss, leading 2 out of 8 teams to the finals | November 3–8 | Allen, Texas |
| Finals | Finals match where 2 teams fight for the Worlds champion title | November 14 | Brooklyn, New York |
What are LoL Worlds 2026?
The League of Legends World Championship, also called LoL Worlds, is the biggest annual esports tournament for professional League players. It’s where only the best of the best from different regions/leagues get a chance to compete against each other on the League of Legends World map.
LoL Championship also marks the end of the 2026 League of Legends esports competitive season.
What’s new in the 2026 World Championship?
Firstly, this year 19 teams are competing, while last year 17 teams participated. Another change is the LTA (League of Legends Championship of The Americas) split into the LCS and the CBLOL.
NOTE: If you have no idea what these random letters mean, no worries. In the next section, you’ll find short explanations. But, in general, they’re just regional LoL esports competitions where professional teams participate throughout the year to earn a spot at Worlds.
Worlds 2026 continues to use Fearless Draft in Bo3 and Bo5 matches. That means once a champion is picked, neither team can use it again for the rest of that series. However, the restriction resets for the next series. As for Bo1, Bo3, and Bo5, Bo stands for “best of,” meaning a team needs to:
- Win 1 game in Bo1 format to win the match.
- Win 2 games in Bo3 format to win the match.
- Win 3 games in Bo5 format to win the match.
Like last year, teams compete through three stages: play-ins, Swiss, and knockouts (semifinals and quarterfinals), until just two remain to fight for the LoL World Cup in the finals.
Teams and participants: who qualified for Worlds 2026?
19 teams have qualified for Worlds 2026 from:
- LCK: League of Legends Champions Korea
- CBLOL: Campeonato Brasileiro de League of Legends (League of Legends Brazilian Championship)
- LPL: League of Legends Pro League (in China)
- LEC: League of Legends EMEA (Europe, the Middle East, and Africa) Championship
- LCS: League of Legends Championship Series (in North America)
- LCP: League of Legends Championship Pacific (for APAC or Asia-Pacific region)
Now for the big reveal… these are the teams that qualified for LoL Worlds 2026:
| Team | League | Country | Head coach |
|---|---|---|---|
| Gen.G Esports (GEN) | LCK | South Korea | Ryu (Yoo Sang-wook) |
| Hanwha Life Esports (HLE) | LCK | South Korea | Homme (Yoon Sung-young) |
| T1 | LCK | South Korea | Tom (Im Jae-hyeon) |
| Dplus KIA (DK) | LCK | South Korea | cvMax (Kim Dae-ho) |
| Anyone’s Legend (AL) | LPL | China | BigWei (Fu Chien-wei) |
| Bilibili Gaming (BLG) | LPL | China | Daeny (Yang Dae-in) |
| TOP Esports (TES) | LPL | China | Poppy (Chang Po-hao) |
| Invictus Gaming (IG) | LPL | China | Helper (Kwon Young-jae) |
| Team Liquid Alienware (TLAW) | LCS | United States | Spawn (Jake Tiberi) |
| Cloud9 Kia (C9) | LCS | United States | IWillDominate (Christian Rivera) |
| LYON | LCS | Mexico | Reignover (Kim Yeu-jin) |
| Karmine Corp (KC) | LEC | France | Reapered (Bok Han-gyu) |
| G2 Esports (G2) | LEC | Germany | Perkz (Luka Perković) |
| Movistar KOI (MKOI) | LEC | Spain | Melzhet (Tomás Campelos Fernández) |
| Team Secret Whales (TSW) | LCP | Vietnam | WarHorse (Chen Ju-chih) |
| CTBC Flying Oyster (CFO) | LCP | Taiwan | Chawy (Wong Xing Lei) |
| MVK Esports (MVK) | LCP | Vietnam | SofM (Lê Quang Duy) |
| LOS | CBLOL | Brazil | Enatron (Ilias Theodorou) |
| FURIA (FUR) | CBLOL | Brazil | Furyz (Erick Susin) |
NOTE: At the end, you’ll find information about each team, their history, how they got here, etc., to help you understand what’s going on if you’re new to competitive LoL or returning after a long break.
LoL Worlds brackets, standings, and results
SPOILER ALERTS
Here, you’ll find the 2026 League of Legends World Championship brackets with the results of stages that have already taken place. If you’re planning to watch any of the past matches and don’t want to know the results yet, close your eyes and scroll past this section. Beware of spoilers ahead.
Play-ins League of Legends Worlds brackets
The Worlds 2026 Play-in Stage took place from October 15–18, with four teams competing for the last available spot in the Swiss stage. Karmine Corp secured that spot by winning all three of their best-of-five (Bo5) series, defeating Cloud9 once and MVK Esports twice.
MVK Esports finished 17th, FURIA 18th, and Cloud9 19th, ending their Worlds 2026 journey.
LoL Worlds Swiss stage results 2026
In the current LoL Worlds standings, Gen.G and Dplus KIA have advanced to the quarterfinals with perfect 3–0 records, while T1 and Invictus Gaming qualified at 3–1. Meanwhile, Anyone’s Legend and Team Secret Whales have been eliminated after losing all three matches.
The final Swiss-stage brackets with results will be updated as soon as the Swiss stage ends. 😉
Where to watch LoL Worlds 2026 live?
The good news is that if going to the US to watch the Worlds is not in your books, you can watch all of the matches live, and also replay the ones that have already happened. You can do it on:
In some countries, the League World Championship finals will also be streamed in cinemas on November 14th live. You can check if your city will have such a thing on LoL in Cinemas.
Also, the best part of watching Worlds 2026 live on LoL Esports is that you can get free in-game drops. You just have to sign in with your Riot account before the match starts. The rewards aren’t guaranteed, though. You need a bit of luck on your side while watching the LoL Championship.
Full Worlds LoL schedule for 2026 by time zones
If you’re looking for a bit of explanation about how things like the League of Legends Worlds group stage work, you’re where you need to be. But if you just want to check when the next Worlds match is, Riot’s official LoL esports Worlds website will show you the exact time in your local time zone.
Below is the full League of Legends Worlds 2026 schedule, with match times across different time zones. I will also try to explain a bit about how the League of Legends Worlds format works in all stages as simply as possible for those who are new to LoL or just came back after a hiatus.
NOTE: All times are local to the listed time zone, and (+1) means the match starts on the following calendar day, while TBA indicates that the participating teams haven’t been confirmed yet.
League of Legends Worlds finals (November 14)
I will start with the LoL Worlds finals, because that’s the most anticipated match, but after the finals schedule, you’ll see other stages in order, from play-ins to semifinals.
The finals are taking place at Barclays Center in Brooklyn, New York, on November 14th. A Bo5 will crown the League of Legends Worlds champions. So, whoever wins the first three games takes home the Summoner’s Cup, the $1M prize, and the title of 2026 World champion.
The LoL World Championship final begins at 2 PM ET. However, viewers in most Asian and Oceanian regions will need to tune in on November 15 because of the time difference.
| Time zone/region | TBA–TBA |
|---|---|
| PT/PST (US West Coast / UTC−8) | 11:00 AM |
| ET/EST (US East Coast / UTC−5) | 2:00 PM |
| UTC (Coordinated Universal Time) | 7:00 PM |
| GMT (United Kingdom/Greenwich Mean Time) | 7:00 PM |
| CET (Central Europe / UTC+1) | 8:00 PM |
| EET (Eastern Europe / UTC+2) | 9:00 PM |
| IST (India / UTC+5:30) | 12:30 AM (+1) |
| CST (China / UTC+8) | 3:00 AM (+1) |
| JST/KST (Japan/Korea Standard Time / UTC+9) | 4:00 AM (+1) |
Play-ins stage schedule (October 15–18)
Here, from October 15th to October 18th, teams compete in best-of-five (Bo5) matches. Losing once gives them a second chance, but losing twice means elimination. Opening matchups are decided by a draw, while later ones depend on the results.
Of the 19 teams that qualified for the League of Legends Worlds Championship 2026, only 16 can enter the Swiss stage. This year, 15 teams advanced directly to the Swiss stage, leaving just one spot available. Karmine Corp, Cloud9, MVK Esports, and FURIA teams competed for that spot.
| Time zone/region | Oct 15 (C9–KC); Oct 16 (KC–MVK); Oct 17 (MVK–FUR); Oct 18 (KC–MVK) |
Oct 15 (FUR–MVK); Oct 16 (C9–FUR) |
|---|---|---|
| PDT (Pacific Daylight Time / UTC−7) | 11:00 AM | 4:00 PM |
| ET/EDT (US East Coast / UTC−4) | 2:00 PM | 7:00 PM |
| UTC (Coordinated Universal Time) | 6:00 PM | 11:00 PM |
| BST (United Kingdom / UTC+1) | 7:00 PM | 12:00 AM (+1) |
| CEST (Central Europe / UTC+2) | 8:00 PM | 1:00 AM (+1) |
| EEST (Eastern Europe / UTC+3) | 9:00 PM | 2:00 AM (+1) |
| IST (India / UTC+5:30) | 11:30 PM | 4:30 AM (+1) |
| CST (China / UTC+8) | 2:00 AM (+1) | 7:00 AM (+1) |
| JST/KST (Japan/Korea / UTC+9) | 3:00 AM (+1) | 8:00 AM (+1) |
Some matches had identical starting times, so they’re combined into one column.
Swiss stage LoL Worlds 2026 schedule (October 23–31)
The Swiss stage features 16 teams competing for 8 quarterfinal spots. After 5 rounds and 33 matches, half of those teams will be eliminated, while the other half will advance to the knockouts.
The first matchups in this League of Legends Worlds group stage are decided by a Pool draw. After that, teams face opponents with the same win-loss record. Meaning that, unlike common group stage formats used in other esports tournaments (where everyone plays the same opponents), Swiss matchups change after each round based on the teams’ results. To put it plainly:
- A team that wins its opening match will next face another team that also won.
- A team that loses its opening match will play against another team that also lost.
The main goal in the LoL World Championship Swiss stage is to win three matches ASAP, because:
- 3 wins mean advancing to the quarterfinals.
- 3 losses mean automatic elimination.
A team’s fight for victory therefore can end in just three matches, or it can last through all five rounds. What about teams that have a 2–2 record? If that happens, those teams will play one final match to decide who advances and who goes home.
Worlds 2026 Swiss Stage draw pools
Riot held the draw for the LoL Worlds 2026 Swiss stage on October 18th, the same day play-in results were clear. However, these draw results only determine what teams will face each other for the first Swiss round. This is how it goes with the Pool draw:
- Pool 1 faces Pool 4
- Pool 2 faces Pool 3
As we already discussed, after that (for rounds 2–5), teams’ wins and losses decide future matchups. Additionally, teams from the same regional league can’t face one another in round 1. Anyway, here are the draw results for the Swiss stage, so we can move ahead with the schedule already.
| Pool 1 | Pool 2 | Pool 3 | Pool 4 |
|---|---|---|---|
| Gen.G (LCK) |
Hanwha Life Esports (LCK) |
T1 (LCK) |
Dplus Kia (LCK) |
| Anyone’s Legend (LPL) |
Bilibili Gaming (LPL) |
TOP Esports (LPL) |
Invictus Gaming (LPL) |
| Team Liquid (LCS) |
Team Secret Whales (LCP) |
Movistar KOI (LEC) |
CTBC Flying Oyster (LCP) |
| G2 Esports (LEC) |
LOS (CBLOL) |
LYON (LCS) |
Karmine Corp (LEC) |
The league/region the team is from is written in the parentheses.
Swiss stage round 1 schedule (October 23)
All matches of the Swiss stage round 1 took place on October 23. It’s also where we finally got to see T1’s first match in LoL Worlds 2026. They were scheduled to play at 4:00 PM (PT) in this round. Despite the different seedings that had an impact on the play-ins, every team starts with a clean 0–0 record. All eight matches are best-of-one. Riot uses the Bo1 format in these stages to save time.
NOTE: I’ve divided the schedule tables into matches 1–4 and matches 5–8, so it stays easy to read.
Schedule for matches 1–4
Gen.G Esports, Invictus Gaming, Hanwha Life Esports, TOP Esports, Bilibili Gaming, Movistar KOI, Anyone’s Legend, and Karmine Corp play in matches 1–4.
| Time zone/region | GEN–IG | HLE–TES | BLG–MKOI | AL–KC |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| PT/PDT (US West Coast / UTC−7) | 10:00 AM | 11:00 AM | 12:00 PM | 1:00 PM |
| ET/EDT (US East Coast / UTC−4) | 1:00 PM | 2:00 PM | 3:00 PM | 4:00 PM |
| UTC (Coordinated Universal Time) | 5:00 PM | 6:00 PM | 7:00 PM | 8:00 PM |
| BST (United Kingdom / UTC+1) | 6:00 PM | 7:00 PM | 8:00 PM | 9:00 PM |
| CEST (Central Europe / UTC+2) | 7:00 PM | 8:00 PM | 9:00 PM | 10:00 PM |
| EEST (Eastern Europe / UTC+3) | 8:00 PM | 9:00 PM | 10:00 PM | 11:00 PM |
| IST (India / UTC+5:30) | 10:30 PM | 11:30 PM | 12:30 AM (+1) | 1:30 AM (+1) |
| CST (China / UTC+8) | 1:00 AM (+1) | 2:00 AM (+1) | 3:00 AM (+1) | 4:00 AM (+1) |
| JST/KST (Japan/Korea / UTC+9) | 2:00 AM (+1) | 3:00 AM (+1) | 4:00 AM (+1) | 5:00 AM (+1) |
Schedule for matches 5–8
Meanwhile, matches 5–8 feature G2 Esports, Dplus KIA, Team Liquid Alienware, CTBC Flying Oyster, LOS, T1, Team Secret Whales, and LYON.
| Time zone/region | G2–DK | TLAW–CFO | LOS–T1 | TSW–LYON |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| PT/PDT (US West Coast / UTC−7) | 2:00 PM | 3:00 PM | 4:00 PM | 5:00 PM |
| ET/EDT (US East Coast / UTC−4) | 5:00 PM | 6:00 PM | 7:00 PM | 8:00 PM |
| UTC (Coordinated Universal Time) | 9:00 PM | 10:00 PM | 11:00 PM | 12:00 AM (+1) |
| BST (United Kingdom / UTC+1) | 10:00 PM | 11:00 PM | 12:00 AM (+1) | 1:00 AM (+1) |
| CEST (Central Europe / UTC+2) | 11:00 PM | 12:00 AM (+1) | 1:00 AM (+1) | 2:00 AM (+1) |
| EEST (Eastern Europe / UTC+3) | 12:00 AM (+1) | 1:00 AM (+1) | 2:00 AM (+1) | 3:00 AM (+1) |
| IST (India / UTC+5:30) | 2:30 AM (+1) | 3:30 AM (+1) | 4:30 AM (+1) | 5:30 AM (+1) |
| CST (China / UTC+8) | 5:00 AM (+1) | 6:00 AM (+1) | 7:00 AM (+1) | 8:00 AM (+1) |
| JST/KST (Japan/Korea / UTC+9) | 6:00 AM (+1) | 7:00 AM (+1) | 8:00 AM (+1) | 9:00 AM (+1) |
Swiss stage round 2 schedule (October 24)
From this point on, the Pool draw is in the past. Although another draw was held, this time it wasn’t just a lucky pick. Instead, Riot drew teams with identical win-loss results to play against each other.
The matchup was decided on October 23rd, after the first Swiss stage round was over, and all of them took place on October 24th, the following day after the draw/first round was over.
NOTE: I’ve also divided the 2nd round schedule, but this time into teams with 1–0 and 0–1 records.
Also, just like in the 1st round, each matchup here is decided in a single game (Bo1).
Match times for teams with 1–0 records
Hanwha Life Esports, Gen.G Esports, CTBC Flying Oyster, Movistar KOI, LYON, Karmine Corp, Dplus KIA, and T1 won their first Swiss matches and entered Swiss round 2 with 1–0 records.
| Time zone/region | CFO–MKOI | LYON–KC | HLE–GEN | DK–T1 |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| PT/PDT (US West Coast / UTC−7) | 11:00 AM | 1:00 PM | 3:00 PM | 4:00 PM |
| ET/EDT (US East Coast / UTC−4) | 2:00 PM | 4:00 PM | 6:00 PM | 7:00 PM |
| UTC (Coordinated Universal Time) | 6:00 PM | 8:00 PM | 10:00 PM | 11:00 PM |
| BST (United Kingdom / UTC+1) | 7:00 PM | 9:00 PM | 11:00 PM | 12:00 AM (+1) |
| CEST (Central Europe / UTC+2) | 8:00 PM | 10:00 PM | 12:00 AM (+1) | 1:00 AM (+1) |
| EEST (Eastern Europe / UTC+3) | 9:00 PM | 11:00 PM | 1:00 AM (+1) | 2:00 AM (+1) |
| IST (India / UTC+5:30) | 11:30 PM | 1:30 AM (+1) | 3:30 AM (+1) | 4:30 AM (+1) |
| CST (China / UTC+8) | 2:00 AM (+1) | 4:00 AM (+1) | 6:00 AM (+1) | 7:00 AM (+1) |
| JST/KST (Japan/Korea / UTC+9) | 3:00 AM (+1) | 5:00 AM (+1) | 7:00 AM (+1) | 8:00 AM (+1) |
Match times for teams with 0–1 records
TOP Esports, Anyone’s Legend, G2 Esports, LOS, Invictus Gaming, Team Secret Whales, Bilibili Gaming, and Team Liquid Alienware lost their first Swiss matches.
| Time zone/region | TES–AL | G2–LOS | IG–TSW | BLG–TLAW |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| PT/PDT (US West Coast / UTC−7) | 10:00 AM | 12:00 PM | 2:00 PM | 5:00 PM |
| ET/EDT (US East Coast / UTC−4) | 1:00 PM | 3:00 PM | 5:00 PM | 8:00 PM |
| UTC (Coordinated Universal Time) | 5:00 PM | 7:00 PM | 9:00 PM | 12:00 AM (+1) |
| BST (United Kingdom / UTC+1) | 6:00 PM | 8:00 PM | 10:00 PM | 1:00 AM (+1) |
| CEST (Central Europe / UTC+2) | 7:00 PM | 9:00 PM | 11:00 PM | 2:00 AM (+1) |
| EEST (Eastern Europe / UTC+3) | 8:00 PM | 10:00 PM | 12:00 AM (+1) | 3:00 AM (+1) |
| IST (India / UTC+5:30) | 10:30 PM | 12:30 AM (+1) | 2:30 AM (+1) | 5:30 AM (+1) |
| CST (China / UTC+8) | 1:00 AM (+1) | 3:00 AM (+1) | 5:00 AM (+1) | 8:00 AM (+1) |
| JST/KST (Japan/Korea / UTC+9) | 2:00 AM (+1) | 4:00 AM (+1) | 6:00 AM (+1) | 9:00 AM (+1) |
Swiss stage round 3 schedule (October 25–26)
The Swiss stage round 3 took place on October 25th and 26th. Each day had four matches. Round 3 is where the first teams can qualify for the quarterfinals, and also where the first teams can be eliminated. It also introduces best-of-three (Bo3) series for matches instead of Bo1.
- 2–0 teams. 4 winning teams play 2 Bo3 series. The winners go to the quarterfinals (at 3–0).
- 1–1 teams. 8 teams play 4 Bo1 matches. The winners go on to the next round with a 2–1 result, while losers also go on to the next round, but with a 1–2 result.
- 0–2 teams. 4 teams with no wins play 2 Bo3 matches. The losing teams then finish their fight for the Worlds champion title with a 0–3 result.
October 25 schedule of LoL Worlds group stage
HLE vs. IG and G2 vs. TES on this day use the Bo1 (best-of-one) format, while MKOI vs. DK and GEN vs. LYON matches use the Bo3 (best-of-three) format.
| Time zone/region | HLE–IG | G2–TES | MKOI–DK | GEN–LYON |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| PT/PDT (US West Coast / UTC−7) | 10:00 AM | 11:00 AM | 12:00 PM | 3:00 PM |
| ET/EDT (US East Coast / UTC−4) | 1:00 PM | 2:00 PM | 3:00 PM | 6:00 PM |
| UTC (Coordinated Universal Time) | 5:00 PM | 6:00 PM | 7:00 PM | 10:00 PM |
| GMT (United Kingdom) | 5:00 PM | 6:00 PM | 7:00 PM | 10:00 PM |
| CET (Central Europe / UTC+1) | 6:00 PM | 7:00 PM | 8:00 PM | 11:00 PM |
| EET (Eastern Europe / UTC+2) | 7:00 PM | 8:00 PM | 9:00 PM | 12:00 AM (+1) |
| IST (India / UTC+5:30) | 10:30 PM | 11:30 PM | 12:30 AM (+1) | 3:30 AM (+1) |
| CST (China / UTC+8) | 1:00 AM (+1) | 2:00 AM (+1) | 3:00 AM (+1) | 6:00 AM (+1) |
| JST/KST (Japan/Korea / UTC+9) | 2:00 AM (+1) | 3:00 AM (+1) | 4:00 AM (+1) | 7:00 AM (+1) |
October 26 schedule of LoL Worlds group stage
CFO vs. T1 and BLG vs. KC matches on this day use the Bo1 (best-of-one) format, while LOS vs. TSW and TLAW vs. AL matches use the Bo3 (best-of-three) format.
| Time zone/region | CFO–T1 | BLG–KC | LOS–TSW | TLAW–AL |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| PT/PDT (US West Coast / UTC−7) | 10:00 AM | 11:00 AM | 12:00 PM | 3:00 PM |
| ET/EDT (US East Coast / UTC−4) | 1:00 PM | 2:00 PM | 3:00 PM | 6:00 PM |
| UTC (Coordinated Universal Time) | 5:00 PM | 6:00 PM | 7:00 PM | 10:00 PM |
| GMT (United Kingdom) | 5:00 PM | 6:00 PM | 7:00 PM | 10:00 PM |
| CET (Central Europe / UTC+1) | 6:00 PM | 7:00 PM | 8:00 PM | 11:00 PM |
| EET (Eastern Europe / UTC+2) | 7:00 PM | 8:00 PM | 9:00 PM | 12:00 AM (+1) |
| IST (India / UTC+5:30) | 10:30 PM | 11:30 PM | 12:30 AM (+1) | 3:30 AM (+1) |
| CST (China / UTC+8) | 1:00 AM (+1) | 2:00 AM (+1) | 3:00 AM (+1) | 6:00 AM (+1) |
| JST/KST (Japan/Korea / UTC+9) | 2:00 AM (+1) | 3:00 AM (+1) | 4:00 AM (+1) | 7:00 AM (+1) |
Swiss stage round 4 schedule (October 28–30)
In the fourth round, things start to get heated. By now, the two undefeated teams have already advanced to the quarterfinals, while the two teams with 0–3 results have been eliminated. Twelve teams remain, and every match from this point has instant consequences.
- 2–1 teams. 6 teams compete in 3 qualification matches. The winners (3–1) go to the quarterfinals.
- 1–2 teams. 6 teams compete in 3 elimination matches. The losing teams leave with a 1–3 result.
All six matches in the fourth round are best-of-three, taking place on October 28th, 29th, and 30th.
| Time zone/region | Oct 28 (MKOI–T1); Oct 29 (CFO–KC); Oct 30 (TLAW–LOS) |
Oct 28 (LYON–IG); Oct 29 (BLG–TES); Oct 30 (G2–HLE) |
|---|---|---|
| PT/PDT (US West Coast / UTC−7) | 1:00 PM | 4:00 PM |
| ET/EDT (US East Coast / UTC−4) | 4:00 PM | 7:00 PM |
| UTC (Coordinated Universal Time) | 8:00 PM | 11:00 PM |
| GMT (United Kingdom) | 8:00 PM | 11:00 PM |
| CET (Central Europe / UTC+1) | 9:00 PM | 12:00 AM (+1) |
| EET (Eastern Europe / UTC+2) | 10:00 PM | 1:00 AM (+1) |
| IST (India / UTC+5:30) | 1:30 AM (+1) | 4:30 AM (+1) |
| CST (China / UTC+8) | 4:00 AM (+1) | 7:00 AM (+1) |
| JST/KST (Japan/Korea / UTC+9) | 5:00 AM (+1) | 8:00 AM (+1) |
All of the matches are played in Bo3 (best-of-three) format.
Swiss stage round 5 schedule (October 31)
The six teams that weren’t so lucky or prepared will fight for the final three spots in this, the 5th, Swiss round. All teams participating in this round begin with a 2–2 result, and it’s their final opportunity to reach the quarterfinals. This time, there are no second chances:
- The 3 winners advance to the knockout stage with 3–2 results.
- The 3 losing teams are eliminated with 2–3 results.
Once this round is over, confirming all eight quarterfinalists, Riot holds the draw for the knockout stage/quarterfinals. It decides who faces whom in the single-elimination League of Legends World Championship bracket beginning November 3.
All Swiss stage round 5 matches are Bo3 type and take place on October 31st.
| Time zone/region | TBA–TBA | TBA–TBA | TBA–TBA |
|---|---|---|---|
| PT/PDT (US West Coast / UTC−7) | 10:00 AM | 1:00 PM | 4:00 PM |
| ET/EDT (US East Coast / UTC−4) | 1:00 PM | 4:00 PM | 7:00 PM |
| UTC (Coordinated Universal Time) | 5:00 PM | 8:00 PM | 11:00 PM |
| GMT (United Kingdom) | 5:00 PM | 8:00 PM | 11:00 PM |
| CET (Central Europe / UTC+1) | 6:00 PM | 9:00 PM | 12:00 AM (+1) |
| EET (Eastern Europe / UTC+2) | 7:00 PM | 10:00 PM | 1:00 AM (+1) |
| IST (India / UTC+5:30) | 10:30 PM | 1:30 AM (+1) | 4:30 AM (+1) |
| CST (China / UTC+8) | 1:00 AM (+1) | 4:00 AM (+1) | 7:00 AM (+1) |
| JST/KST (Japan/Korea / UTC+9) | 2:00 AM (+1) | 5:00 AM (+1) | 8:00 AM (+1) |
Quarterfinals (November 3–6)
The draw for quarterfinals matchups takes place after Swiss wraps up on October 31st. The two teams that qualified with a 3–0 result each face a team that advanced with a 3–2 result.
All quarterfinal matches are taking place at the same time (10 PM UTC), but on different days at the start of November. All eight teams will play Bo5-type matches (the first one to win 3 games wins).
| Time zone/region | Nov 3 TBA–TBA |
Nov 4 TBA–TBA |
Nov 5 TBA–TBA |
Nov 6 TBA–TBA |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| PT/PST (US West Coast / UTC−8) | 2:00 PM | 2:00 PM | 2:00 PM | 2:00 PM |
| ET/EST (US East Coast / UTC−5) | 5:00 PM | 5:00 PM | 5:00 PM | 5:00 PM |
| UTC (Coordinated Universal Time) | 10:00 PM | 10:00 PM | 10:00 PM | 10:00 PM |
| GMT (United Kingdom) | 10:00 PM | 10:00 PM | 10:00 PM | 10:00 PM |
| CET (Central Europe / UTC+1) | 11:00 PM | 11:00 PM | 11:00 PM | 11:00 PM |
| EET (Eastern Europe / UTC+2) | 12:00 AM (+1) | 12:00 AM (+1) | 12:00 AM (+1) | 12:00 AM (+1) |
| IST (India / UTC+5:30) | 3:30 AM (+1) | 3:30 AM (+1) | 3:30 AM (+1) | 3:30 AM (+1) |
| CST (China / UTC+8) | 6:00 AM (+1) | 6:00 AM (+1) | 6:00 AM (+1) | 6:00 AM (+1) |
| JST/KST (Japan/Korea / UTC+9) | 7:00 AM (+1) | 7:00 AM (+1) | 7:00 AM (+1) | 7:00 AM (+1) |
Semifinals (November 7–8)
The 4 quarterfinal League of Legends Worlds winners advance to the semifinals, held on November 7th and 8th. Each match is a Bo5 series (the first team to win 3 games earns a place in the finals).
Both semifinal matches are taking place at the Credit Union of Texas Event Center.
| Time zone/region | Nov 7 TBA–TBA |
Nov 8 TBA–TBA |
|---|---|---|
| PT/PST (US West Coast / UTC−8) | 2:00 PM | 2:00 PM |
| ET/EST (US East Coast / UTC−5) | 5:00 PM | 5:00 PM |
| UTC (Coordinated Universal Time) | 10:00 PM | 10:00 PM |
| GMT (United Kingdom) | 10:00 PM | 10:00 PM |
| CET (Central Europe / UTC+1) | 11:00 PM | 11:00 PM |
| EET (Eastern Europe / UTC+2) | 12:00 AM (+1) | 12:00 AM (+1) |
| IST (India / UTC+5:30) | 3:30 AM (+1) | 3:30 AM (+1) |
| CST (China / UTC+8) | 6:00 AM (+1) | 6:00 AM (+1) |
| JST/KST (Japan/Korea / UTC+9) | 7:00 AM (+1) | 7:00 AM (+1) |
LoL Worlds 2026 format: how do teams qualify?
Qualifying for Worlds isn’t just about having enough points or a high international rank. Each league has its own qualification system, and teams earn their spots through:
- Domestic playoffs
- Championship points
- Regional qualifiers
However, before teams qualify, Riot decides how many Worlds spots each region gets. In 2026, the LCK, LPL, LEC, LCS, and LCP each got three spots, while the CBLOL received two. At first, at least. The remaining two spots depended on the 2026 MSI results.
Hanwha Life Esports won MSI, earning a Worlds invitation on the condition that they reach the LCK playoffs. Bilibili Gaming also finished second, earning China’s LPL one more spot. That’s how Korea and China ended up with four representatives each, not three as originally planned.
Who starts at the Swiss vs. play-ins stage?
Qualifying for Worlds doesn’t mean a direct pass to the Swiss Stage. Riot decides not only the number of spots, but also how many teams from each region can skip play-ins. For Worlds 2026:
| Region | Total Worlds spots | Direct Swiss spots | Play-In spots |
|---|---|---|---|
| Korea (LCK) | 4 | 4 | 0 |
| China (LPL) | 4 | 4 | 0 |
| Europe (LEC) | 3 | 2 | 1 |
| North America (LCS) | 3 | 2 | 1 |
| Asia-Pacific (LCP) | 3 | 2 | 1 |
| Brazil (CBLOL) | 2 | 1 | 1 |
In other words, a team’s domestic results determine which regional seed they get, but Riot’s regional allocations determine whether that seed starts in the Swiss or play-ins stage.
What does seeding mean in LoL Worlds?
Seeding is the ranking assigned to teams that qualify from the same region. The first seed is that region’s highest-ranked qualifier, the second seed is the next, and so on. However, those seeds only rank teams within their own leagues, so a fourth seed from one region can start in Swiss while a second or third seed from another region has to start in play-ins.
Basically, if a league has more Worlds spots than direct Swiss spots, its high-seeded teams go straight to Swiss, while the lower-seeded teams must compete in play-ins.
| Team | League region | Seed | Starting stage in Worlds 2026 |
|---|---|---|---|
| LOS | CBLOL | 1 | Swiss |
| FURIA | CBLOL | 2 | Play-ins |
| G2 Esports | LEC | 1 | Swiss |
| Movistar KOI | LEC | 2 | Swiss |
| Karmine Corp | LEC | 3 | Play-ins |
| Team Liquid Alienware | LCS | 1 | Swiss |
| LYON | LCS | 2 | Swiss |
| Cloud9 Kia | LCS | 3 | Play-ins |
| Team Secret Whales | LCP | 1 | Swiss |
| CTBC Flying Oyster | LCP | 2 | Swiss |
| MVK Esports | LCP | 3 | Play-ins |
| Gen.G | LCK | 1 | Swiss |
| Hanwha Life Esports | LCK | 2 | Swiss |
| T1 | LCK | 3 | Swiss |
| Dplus KIA | LCK | 4 | Swiss |
| Anyone’s Legend | LPL | 1 | Swiss |
| Bilibili Gaming | LPL | 2 | Swiss |
| TOP Esports | LPL | 3 | Swiss |
| Invictus Gaming | LPL | 4 | Swiss |
How does seeding affect the Swiss stage draw?
Regional seeds also affect the first Swiss Stage matchups. But they’re just part of the system that decides the first Swiss-round matchups. For the opening round, Riot divides the 16 teams into four draw pools. The seedings determine which pool each team is in.
Therefore, a higher seed has an impact on the team’s first opponent, but not much after that.
Members of the qualified teams in LoL Worlds 2026
Worlds isn’t some no-name domestic tournament. Only the best of the best get a chance to even show up here. Therefore, I believe that each team that qualified for this Championship deserves some attention, and a few interesting facts about them mentioned here.
NOTE: IGN is short for a player’s in-game name. For example, Faker would be Lee Sang-hyeok’s IGN. Meanwhile, the Worlds appearances listed here are before this year.
Gen.G Esports roster (LCK)
Gen.G came to Worlds 2026 as Korea’s first seed after winning the LCK Championship. Despite being pretty famous in Korea, the team is yet to win Worlds under the Gen.G name. On the other hand, the team’s bot laner Ruler did manage to get his hands on the Summoner’s Cup back at the 2017 World Championship with Samsung Galaxy (the team that later became Gen.G).
| Member name | IGN | Nationality | Role | Age | Worlds appearances |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Kim Gi-in | Kiin | KR | Top | 27 | 4 |
| Kim Geon-bu | Canyon | KR | Jungle | 25 | 7 |
| Jeong Ji-hoon | Chovy | KR | Mid | 25 | 7 |
| Park Jae-hyuk | Ruler | KR | Bot | 27 | 8 |
| Joo Min-kyu | Duro | KR | Supp | 24 | 1 |
Hanwha Life Esports roster (LCK)
Hanwha Life Esports are Korea’s second seed and the champions of MSI (Mid-Season Invitational). It’s also pretty safe to say they don’t lack in the lineup for Worlds. Three (more than half the team) of their players had already won Worlds before: Zeus, Zeka, and Gumayusi. Gumayusi actually won three consecutive titles with T1, who, ironically, are now his opponents, before moving to Hanwha Life for the 2026 League of Legends season.
| Member name | IGN | Nationality | Role | Age | Worlds appearances |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Choi Woo-je | Zeus | KR | Top | 22 | 4 |
| Seo Jin-hyeok | Kanavi | KR | Jungle | 25 | 4 |
| Kim Geon-woo | Zeka | KR | Mid | 23 | 3 |
| Lee Min-hyeong | Gumayusi | KR | Bot | 24 | 5 |
| Yoo Hwan-joong | Delight | KR | Supp | 24 | 3 |
T1 roster (LCK)
No other team has such an iconic Worlds history as T1. By 2026, they had already won Worlds six times, including three years in a row (2023, 2024, and 2025). And yes, Faker was part of every single one of those victories. However, this time T1 came to Worlds 2026 with a different bot laner, Peyz, who took Gumayusi’s place (the one who moved to Hanwha Life for the 2026 season). Despite being the defending champions, they entered Worlds 2026 only as Korea’s third seed.
| Member name | IGN | Nationality | Role | Age | Worlds appearances |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Choi Hyeon-joon | Doran | KR | Top | 26 | 5 |
| Mun Hyeon-jun | Oner | KR | Jungle | 23 | 5 |
| Lee Sang-hyeok | Faker | KR | Mid | 30 | 10 |
| Kim Su-hwan | Peyz | KR | Bot | 20 | 2 |
| Ryu Min-seok | Keria | KR | Supp | 24 | 6 |
Dplus Kia roster (LCK)
Dplus KIA may be Korea’s fourth seed, but don’t underestimate them. They did win the Esports World Cup in July. Those who have been watching the Worlds for some time now might also remember them as DAMWON Gaming, the team that got the Summoner’s Cup in 2020. Their mid laner ShowMaker was part of that Championship roster and still is.
| Member name | IGN | Nationality | Role | Age | Worlds appearances |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Jeon Si-woo | Siwoo | KR | Top | 18 | 0 |
| Choi Yong-hyeok | Lucid | KR | Jungle | 21 | 1 |
| Heo Su | ShowMaker | KR | Mid | 26 | 6 |
| Shin Geum-jae | Smash | KR | Bot | 20 | 0 |
| Oh Hyeong-seok | Career | KR | Supp | 22 | 0 |
Anyone’s Legend roster (LPL)
Anyone’s Legend managed to earn China’s first seed in the League of Legends Worlds standings by winning against Bilibili Gaming in the third LPL split, the team that won the first two splits. Last year, they lost to eventual Worlds champions T1 in the quarterfinals.
| Member name | IGN | Nationality | Role | Ageh | Worlds appearances |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Chen Chen | Breathe | CN | Top | 25 | 2 |
| Lee Seung-yong | Tarzan | KR | Jungle | 27 | 5 |
| Cui Xiao-jun | Shanks | CN | Mid | 25 | 1 |
| Wang Jie | Hope | CN | Bot | 26 | 2 |
| Kim Jin-hong | Kael | KR | Supp | 22 | 1 |
Bilibili Gaming roster (LPL)
This is the team that won the first two LPL splits, before losing to Anyone’s Legend in the third. They also just barely missed the MSI trophy, losing to Hanwha Life Esports in the finals. Meanwhile, when talking about their lineup, the team has bot laner Viper on their side. The player who won First Stand twice. Once with Hanwha Life Esports in 2025 and then with Bilibili Gaming in 2026.
| Member name | IGN | Nationality | Role | Age | Worlds appearances |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Chen Ze-bin | Bin | CN | Top | 23 | 4 |
| Peng Li-xun | Xun | CN | Jungle | 24 | 2 |
| Zhuo Ding | Knight | CN | Mid | 26 | 5 |
| Park Do-hyeon | Viper | KR | Bot | 26 | 5 |
| Luo Wen-jun | ON | CN | Supp | 23 | 3 |
Li Xuanjun (Flandre) is Bilibili Gaming’s substitute top laner.
TOP Esports roster (LPL)
TOP Esports had to go through China’s Regional Finals to secure a place at Worlds 2026. But getting to Worlds wasn’t their only challenge. ZUIAN was supposed to be in the starting lineup, but had some issues with his visa, so 369 had to replace him instead. Even with this little inconvenience, though, the team isn’t short on experienced players. JackeyLove won Worlds in 2018, while Tian did so in 2019, just with different organizations (both of them).
| Member name | IGN | Nationality | Role | Age | Worlds appearances |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Bai Jia-hao | 369 | CN | Top | 25 | 5 |
| Gao Tian-liang | Tian | CN | Jungle | 26 | 4 |
| Lin Jian | Creme | CN | Mid | 22 | 2 |
| Yu Wen-bo | JackeyLove | CN | Bot | 25 | 6 |
| Wang Xu-zhuo | Zhuo | CN | Supp | 25 | 0 |
Cheng Zihao (ZUIAN) is listed as TOP Esports’ substitute top laner.
Invictus Gaming roster (LPL)
Invictus Gaming reunites two players who helped China win its first World Championship in 2018: TheShy and Rookie. Back then, they became the first team from China’s LPL to win the World Championship. However, getting back to the Championship wasn’t exactly easy for this team. IG had to fight through the Regional Finals for China’s fourth and final spot.
| Member name | IGN | Nationality | Role | Age | Worlds appearances |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Kang Seung-lok | TheShy | KR | Top | 26 | 4 |
| Yan Yang-wei | Wei | CN | Jungle | 23 | 4 |
| Song Eui-jin | Rookie | KR | Mid | 29 | 4 |
| Zi Jia-qi | JiaQi | CN | Bot | 22 | 0 |
| Tian Ye | Meiko | CN | Supp | 28 | 8 |
Zou Wei (Assum) is Invictus Gaming’s substitute bot laner.
G2 Esports roster (LEC)
After winning all three LEC competitions in the 2026 season, G2 Esports came to the Worlds stage as Europe’s first seed. In fact, their Summer victory marked the organization’s 20th European league title, which no other team had managed to achieve so far. It’s also a pretty special year for the team’s mid laner, Caps, who is the first Western player in the Hall of Legends.
| Member name | IGN | Nationality | Role | Age | Worlds appearances |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Sergen Çelik | BrokenBlade | TR | Top | 26 | 5 |
| Rudy Semaan | SkewMond | FR | Jungle | 22 | 1 |
| Rasmus Borregaard Winther | Caps | DK | Mid | 26 | 8 |
| Steven Liv | Hans Sama | FR | Bot | 27 | 6 |
| Labros Papoutsakis | Labrov | GR | Supp | 24 | 2 |
Movistar KOI roster (LEC)
Movistar KOI has finished second in the LEC Summer final for two consecutive years, losing to G2 Esports in both 2025 and 2026. The team’s history is a little complicated, though. Its current name comes from bringing together MAD Lions, KOI, and Movistar Riders. Despite all those changes to the organization, the actual player roster has stayed the same since December 2024.
| Member name | IGN | Nationality | Role | Age | Worlds appearances |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Alex Pastor Villarejo | Myrwn | ES | Top | 23 | 2 |
| Javier Prades Batalla | Elyoya | ES | Jungle | 26 | 5 |
| Joseph Joon Pyun | Jojopyun | CA | Mid | 22 | 2 |
| David Martínez García | Supa | ES | Bot | 26 | 2 |
| Álvaro Fernández del Amo | Alvaro | ES | Supp | 23 | 2 |
Ivan Oleksandrovich Bilous (NightSlayer) is Movistar KOI’s substitute top laner.
Team Liquid Alienware roster (LCS)
Team Liquid returned to Worlds in 2026 after missing the previous year’s Championship. They got North America’s first seed by winning the LCS Summer final. The team also has one former League of Legends Worlds champion on the roster. Their support, CoreJJ, won Worlds back in 2017 with Samsung Galaxy, where he was teammates with Ruler (current Gen.G player).
| Member name | IGN | Nationality | Role | Age | Worlds appearances |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Park Ru-han | Morgan | KR | Top | 25 | 1 |
| Brandon Joel Villegas | Josedeodo | AR | Jungle | 26 | 1 |
| Lim Hyeon-seung | Quid | KR | Mid | 22 | 2 |
| Sean Sung | Yeon | US | Bot | 24 | 2 |
| Jo Yong-in | CoreJJ | KR | Supp | 32 | 8 |
LYON roster (LCS)
LYON originally competed in Mexico before moving to North America’s LCS league. They finished third at the Mid-Season Invitational 2026, second in the LCS Summer, and even won the Spring Championship. These achievements earned LYON NA’s second Worlds spot and let them skip the play-ins.
| Member name | IGN | Nationality | Role | Age | Worlds appearances |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Niship Doshi | Dhokla | US | Top | 29 | 2 |
| Kacper Słoma | Inspired | PL | Jungle | 24 | 5 |
| Kang Sung-in | Saint | KR | Mid | 21 | 0 |
| Kim Min-cheol | Berserker | KR | Bot | 23 | 2 |
| Jonah Rosario | Isles | AU | Supp | 25 | 1 |
Team Secret Whales roster (LCP)
Team Secret Whales won against CTBC Flying Oyster in August as well as all three LCP splits. The Vietnamese team also competed at MSI, where it finished fifth–sixth.
| Member name | IGN | Nationality | Role | Age | Worlds appearances |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Nguyễn Đăng Khoa | Pun | VN | Top | 24 | 1 |
| Lê Văn Hoàng Hải | Hizto | VN | Jungle | 19 | 1 |
| Trần Duy Đức | Dire | VN | Mid | 19 | 1 |
| Hoàng Công Nghĩa | Eddie | VN | Bot | 23 | 1 |
| Trần Đức Hiếu | Bie | VN | Supp | 26 | 3 |
CTBC Flying Oyster roster (LCP)
CTBC Flying Oyster didn’t have the best start to the 2026 season, with Team Secret Whales winning all three LCP splits. Still, they managed to recover and took second place in Split 3. That earned the team another Worlds appearance, this time as the LCP’s second seed.
| Member name | IGN | Nationality | Role | Age | Worlds appearances |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Hsu Shih-chieh | Rest | TW | Top | 27 | 4 |
| Zhao Zhi-qiang | Shad0w | IT | Jungle | 25 | 2 |
| Han In-woong | POUT | KR | Mid | 23 | 0 |
| Chiu Tzu-chuan | Doggo | TW | Bot | 23 | 2 |
| Chu Wu Hsin-jung | Kino | TW | Supp | 28 | 2 |
LOS roster (CBLOL)
LOS returned to Brazil’s top LoL league in 2026 as a guest team, but ended up winning the CBLOL Split 2 Championship and earning Brazil’s first Worlds spot. Their jungler Curse was also named the Finals MVP. I would say it’s pretty impressive for a team that just returned to the league.
| Member name | IGN | Nationality | Role | Age | Worlds appearances |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Kim Dong-min | Zest | KR | Top | 22 | 0 |
| Raí Yamada | Curse | BR | Jungle | 21 | 0 |
| Jeong Seong-hoon | Feisty | KR | Mid | 22 | 0 |
| Wallyson Francisco Queiroz da Silva | Duduhh | BR | Bot | 18 | 0 |
| Gabriel Agustin Aparicio | Ackerman | AR | Supp | 24 | 1 |
Karmine Corp roster (LEC)
Worlds 2026 is actually Karmine Corp’s first World Championship. French streamer Kameto founded the organization, and it spent several years competing in Europe’s lower-tier leagues before joining the LEC. They also built a pretty passionate fanbase along the way (Blue Wall). Karmine Corp won all nine series in the LEC Summer regular season but finished third in the playoffs. That’s why they started in the play-ins at Worlds 2026.
| Member name | IGN | Nationality | Role | Age | Worlds appearances |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Kim Chang-dong | Canna | KR | Top | 26 | 2 |
| Martin Sundelin | Yike | SE | Jungle | 25 | 2 |
| Kang Ye-hoo | kyeahoo | KR | Mid | 21 | 0 |
| Caliste Henry-Hennebert | Caliste | FR | Bot | 20 | 0 |
| Alan Cwalina | Busio | PL | Supp | 23 | 2 |
FURIA roster (CBLOL)
FURIA earned Brazil’s second Worlds 2026 spot by winning the first CBLOL split and representing Brazil at MSI. The team also won the Americas Cup against Cloud9.
| Member name | IGN | Nationality | Role | Age | Worlds appearances |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Guilherme Araújo Ruiz | Guigo | BR | Top | 24 | 1 |
| Pedro Seixas | Tatu | BR | Jungle | 20 | 0 |
| Arthur Peixoto Machado | Tutsz | BR | Mid | 23 | 0 |
| Andrey Saraiva | Ayu | BR | Bot | 21 | 0 |
| Gabriel Dzelme de Oliveira | Jojo | BR | Supp | 27 | 1 |
Diogo Rogê (Shini) is FURIA’s substitute jungler.
MVK Esports roster (LCP)
Previously known as Vikings Esports, MVK Esports started the season by finishing seventh in LCP Split 1, then worked their way up to third in Split 3. They didn’t actually win any of the splits, though. Instead, MVK qualified through championship points. That was enough to earn them the region’s third Worlds spot, although they still had to compete in the play-ins.
| Member name | IGN | Nationality | Role | Age | Worlds appearances |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Ngô Đức Khánh | Kratos | VN | Top | 21 | 0 |
| Lương Hải Long | Gury | VN | Jungle | 22 | 1 |
| Võ Lê Nhân | Chika | VN | Mid | 20 | 0 |
| Nguyễn Văn Hữu | Harky | VN | Bot | 21 | 0 |
| Nguyễn Hoàng Lam | SiuLoong | VN | Supp | 21 | 0 |
Lê Quốc Khánh (SanSan) is MVK’s substitute jungler.
Cloud9 Kia roster (LCS)
Cloud9 has been competing in North American LoL since 2013, but they actually missed Worlds in both 2024 and 2025. So getting back in 2026 was already a huge achievement. The team also went through some roster changes during the season, bringing in Loki and Tactical for the Summer split. C9 eventually finished third in the LCS Summer playoffs, earning a Worlds spot.
| Member name | IGN | Nationality | Role | Age | Worlds appearances |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Park Seung-gyu | Thanatos | KR | Top | 22 | 0 |
| Robert Huang | Blaber | US | Jungle | 26 | 5 |
| Lee Sang-min | Loki | KR | Mid | 21 | 0 |
| Edward Ra | Tactical | US | Bot | 26 | 2 |
| Philippe Laflamme | Vulcan | CA | Supp | 27 | 3 |
Eain Stearns (APA) is C9’s substitute mid laner, and Jesper Svenningsen (Zven) is sub for bot.
LoL Worlds 2026 tickets: sales and prices
LoL Worlds 2026 ticket prices depend not only on the stage and seating you want, but also on whether it was bought through resale marketplaces or during the Fan First Access. Unfortunately, I couldn’t check the first sale prices. However, here’s what tickets are selling for on resale sites:
| Worlds 2026 stage | Ticket price range |
|---|---|
| Play-ins | ~40–350$ |
| Swiss stage | ~40–150$ |
| Quarterfinals | ~40–700$ |
| Semifinals | ~200–1000$ |
| Finals | ~1100–6000$ |
Prices are just approximate resale listings and vary by marketplace, seating, and date.
Fan First Access tickets for LoL Worlds 2026
Riot Games introduced Fan First Access tickets to give verified LoL players a better chance of buying League of Legends World Championship tickets before the general sale begins, while also combating bots. The Fan First Access ticket sales are closed now, but before they were, this is how you got them:
- Register on LoL Esports with your Riot ID between June 1 and June 30, 2026.
- Select your preferences for the tournament stage and location.
- Wait for verification by email (a unique, one-time Ticketmaster access code).
- Join the ticket queue by entering your code in the assigned purchase window.
- Purchase tickets within 24 hours with the same email used for Riot Games.
The first Fan First presale began on July 22 at 8:00 AM PDT. A second Fan First sale opened on September 1 at 8:00 AM PT, exclusively for previously registered fans. Riot confirmed eligibility by email on August 31. Unlike the first presale, all eligible fans could join the queue, but tickets were still limited and sold on a first-come, first-served basis.
League of Legends Worlds prize pool breakdown
The League of Legends World Championship prize pool for 2026 is $5M, the same as last year. 20% ($1M) of it is reserved for this year’s LoL World Champions.
| Place | Prize pool | Prize pool % | LoL Worlds winners |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1st | $1M | 20 % | TBA |
| 2nd | $800K | 16 % | TBA |
| 3rd–4th | $400K | 8 % | TBA |
| 5th–8th | $300K | 6 % | TBA |
| 9th–11th | $175K | 3.5 % | TBA |
| 12th–14th | $125K | 2.5 % | TBA |
| 15th–16th | $90K | 1.8 % | Team Secret Whales & Anyone’s Legend |
| 17th | $50K | 1 % | MVK Esports |
| 18th | $40K | 0.8 % | FURIA |
| 19th | $30K | 0.6 % | Cloud9 |
However, League Worlds winners get more than just the prize pool. They also get the Summoner’s Cup, championship rings/bracelets commissioned by Riot Games, and (my favorite part) custom-designed Worlds champion skins. Players get to choose the champion they played for the skin, and team organizations receive a percentage of sales revenue.
LoL Worlds 2026 location and venues
The 2026 League of Legends Championship returns to North America for the first time since Worlds 2022, with matches in three US locations: Los Angeles, Allen, and New York (Brooklyn).
| Stage | Venue | Location | Capacity |
|---|---|---|---|
| Play-ins | Riot Games Arena | Los Angeles, California | ~300 |
| Swiss Stage | CUTX Event Center | Allen, Texas | ~8K |
| Quarterfinals | CUTX Event Center | Allen, Texas | ~8K |
| Semifinals | CUTX Event Center | Allen, Texas | ~8K |
| Grand Final | Barclays Center | Brooklyn, New York | ~19K |
What makes the LoL Worlds 2026 venues special?
One unusual thing about Worlds 2026 is that 14 of its 19 competition days will take place in the same arena, rather than moving between venues for each stage. The tournament will then finish at Barclays Center in Brooklyn, where True Damage will perform “Know My Name” (League of Legends Worlds 2026 anthem) during the opening ceremony.
Riot Games Arena (Los Angeles, California)
Located across the street from the headquarters, Riot Games Arena has hosted North American professional League of Legends matches since 2013. Originally called the LCS Arena, it now hosts competitions for both League of Legends and VALORANT.
The arena is relatively small but has truly impressive technology. During the 2023 renovation, they built an 18-foot-high stage with over 1K modular LED screens. The main point was to design the stage so the production team could easily (in approximately 2 hours) transform between layouts for League of Legends and VALORANT matches.
Why were the 2026 Worlds play-ins moved to LCS Arena?
According to Riot’s Global Head of LoL Esports, Chris Greeley, they originally considered hosting play-ins and the Swiss stage in Los Angeles. However, criticism of the small Berlin venue used for Worlds 2024 convinced Riot that both stages deserved a much larger audience.
In March 2026, Riot Games announced they’re reversing part of the plan, returning play-ins to Los Angeles while keeping the Swiss stage in Texas because of “a few logistical challenges.” What are those challenges? Nobody knows, as Riot never shared them. I tried to dig deeper, but to no avail.
Credit Union of Texas Event Center (Allen, Texas)
Allen may not be as recognizable as Los Angeles or New York, but its Credit Union of Texas Event Center has a remarkable esports history. Worlds 2026 marks the first time a single venue will host all three stages (Swiss, quarterfinals, and semifinals), making it kind of the main location.
In 2019, it hosted the Overwatch League’s first home-market event, selling out all 4,500 seats on both days. In 2024, it also hosted the sold-out Call of Duty League Championship.
You might even remember the venue from September 2025, when FlyQuest defeated Vivo Keyd Stars to win the LTA Championship. That event’s success and the local community’s enthusiasm were the main reasons Riot decided to return with LoL Worlds in 2026.
Barclays Center (Brooklyn, New York)
New York has hosted Worlds before, but the 2026 League of Legends World Championship FINALS are the first on the US East Coast. Previously, New York welcomed the 2016 semifinals at Madison Square Garden and the 2022 Swiss stage with quarterfinals.
The Overwatch League held its first grand final at Barclays Center in 2018. Additionally, its location directly above the Atlantic Avenue–Barclays Center subway station, with Long Island Rail Road connections nearby, makes it quite accessible and very convenient for traveling fans.
LoL Worlds 2026 Fan Fest in New York
Riot is also organizing a three-day League of Legends World’s Fan Fest (November 12–14) at Pier 36 in lower Manhattan. During the festival, the participants will find:
- Interactive LoL experiences
- Developer panels
- Special guests
- Community activities
The official LoL Worlds 2026 theme song
Like every year since 2014, Riot Games releases the Worlds anthem, a song dedicated to this tournament focusing on last year’s winners. I mean, nothing will beat the 2014 Worlds Imagine Dragons anthem “Warriors” (the first anthem), but it’s not bad. The official LoL Worlds 2026 song is called “Know My Name” and performed by True Damage (Riot Games’ virtual hip-hop group). It’s the 13th official World anthem, but the first to be performed by one of Riot’s virtual music groups.
Btw, the doggo’s name in this MV is Doongi, and he’s Lee Min-hyeong’s (Gumayusi) pet. 🐶
The song was released on October 8, 2026, alongside the official music video. In the MV, Faker’s career and T1’s iconic three consecutive Worlds victories are being celebrated. True Damage is also scheduled to perform the official anthem during the opening ceremony for the League of Legends Championship finals at Barclays Center in Brooklyn, New York, on November 14.
NOTE: The True Damage group is made up of Akali, Ekko, Qiyana, Senna, and Yasuo LoL champions. Meanwhile, the real-world artists contributing to the LoL World Championship 2026 anthem song are SOYEON, Coco Jones, Vic Mensa, and Sofía Reyes.
Past League of Legends World champions
T1, formerly known as SK Telecom T1, is the most successful team in Worlds history. The team holds six Worlds Championship titles (2013, 2015, 2016, 2023, 2024, and 2025). No other team has won the LoL Championship more than two times. Now, that’s a true diff.
| Year | Prize pool | Dates | Final location | Winner |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2011 | $99.5K | Jun 18–20 | Jönköping, Sweden | Fnatic |
| 2012 | $2M | Oct 4–13 | Los Angeles, USA | Taipei Assassins |
| 2013 | $2.05M | Sep 15–Oct 4 | Los Angeles, USA | SK Telecom T1 |
| 2014 | $2.13M | Sep 18–Oct 19 | Seoul, South Korea | Samsung White |
| 2015 | $2.13M | Oct 1–31 | Berlin, Germany | SK Telecom T1 |
| 2016 | $5.07M | Sep 29–Oct 29 | Los Angeles, USA | SK Telecom T1 |
| 2017 | $4.95M | Sep 23–Nov 4 | Beijing, China | Samsung Galaxy |
| 2018 | $6.45M | Oct 1–Nov 3 | Incheon, South Korea | Invictus Gaming |
| 2019 | $2.225M | Oct 2–Nov 10 | Paris, France | FunPlus Phoenix |
| 2020 | $2.225M | Sep 25–Oct 31 | Shanghai, China | DAMWON Gaming |
| 2021 | $2.225M | Oct 5–Nov 6 | Reykjavík, Iceland | EDward Gaming |
| 2022 | $2.225M | Sep 29–Nov 5 | San Francisco, USA | DRX |
| 2023 | $2.225M | Oct 10–Nov 19 | Seoul, South Korea | T1 |
| 2024 | $2.225M | Sep 25–Nov 2 | London, UK | T1 |
| 2025 | $5M | Oct 14–Nov 9 | Chengdu, China | T1 |
| 2026 | $5M | Oct 15–Nov 14 | Brooklyn, USA | TBD |
What does LoL Worlds 2026 bring to the Client?
The Worlds Championship brings the Season 3: Worlds 2026 Battle Pass to the League Client. Everyone can get their hands on the free Battle Pass rewards, but Riot wouldn’t be Riot if it didn’t also include paid content. To get that paid content, you need to spend some Riot Points.
The Battle Pass is available until January 6, 2027, and consists of 56 milestones, 8 of which (49–56) are repeatable. However, 22 of them require the Season 3: Worlds Pass I mentioned above. One cool thing about this pass, though, is that Riot will share some of the profits with the teams.
Additionally, like every year, you can find Pick’ems. It means every LoL player has a chance to guess the winner of different stages or other objectives, like the most-picked champion (before each Worlds stage), and win LoL rewards if they guess correctly.
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