Key information
The 2026 League of Legends World Championship play-in stage concluded on the 19th, with European LEC third seed KC securing the final spot in the 16-team Swiss stage. Following the conclusion of the play-ins, the official draw for the next phase was conducted.
The Swiss stage features high-stakes matchups, including two China-Korea clashes: IG faces LCK top seed GEN, while HLE is set to play TES. Meanwhile, LCP representatives CFO and TSW have both been drawn against LCS teams. Defending champions T1 are scheduled to compete against the Brazilian top seed, LOS.
The tournament will move to the CUT Event Center in Allen, Texas, for the Swiss stage. Competition begins on October 24 at 01:00 Taiwan time. The format requires teams to reach three wins to advance to the quarterfinals, while three losses result in elimination. Initial matches are best-of-one, while critical advancement or elimination matches will utilize a best-of-three format.
The first stage of the Swiss round runs from October 24 to October 27, starting daily at 01:00. The second stage follows from October 29 to October 31 at 04:00, with the final day of the Swiss stage scheduled for November 1 at 01:00.
