All 19 Teams Locked In for League of Legends Worlds 2026 as T1 Seeks Third Straight Title Defense

The final regional qualifiers for the League of Legends World Championship 2026 concluded on October 3. Brazil’s FURIA secured the 19th and final berth at the year’s pinnacle tournament with a commanding 3-0 sweep against LOUD in the CBLOL lower bracket. The championship runs from October 15 through November 14 in the US, featuring unprecedented drama: Korea’s storied T1 roster will attempt to defend its title and lift a fourth consecutive Summoner’s Cup, while an overhauled qualifying format will knock several elite teams out before the main bracket.

Teams from six regions will participate in the 2026 championship. Extra seeds were awarded based on the spring MSI: thanks to Hanwha Life Esports’ title run and Bilibili Gaming’s second-place finish, South Korea (LCK) and China (LPL) each secured four spots.

The complete list of participants is as follows:

• South Korea (LCK): Gen.G, Hanwha Life Esports, T1, Dplus KIA.
• China (LPL): Anyone’s Legend, Bilibili Gaming, Top Esports, Invictus Gaming.
• North America (LCS): Team Liquid, LYON, Cloud9.
• Europe (LEC): G2 Esports, Movistar KOI, Karmine Corp.
• Asia-Pacific (LCP): Team Secret Whales, CTBC Flying Oyster, MVK Esports.
• Brazil (CBLOL): LØS, FURIA.

Brutal Play-In and the Road to the New York Finals

The most significant overhaul at Worlds 2026 reshapes the preliminary round. According to Riot Games’ official announcement, 15 teams advance straight to the Swiss Stage. The remaining four squads will fight through a high-stakes Play-In bracket in Los Angeles. That stage includes Europe’s Karmine Corp, North America’s Cloud9, Vietnam’s MVK Esports, and the loser of the Brazilian finals between LØS and FURIA, set for October 10. The best-of-five matches will leave only one team standing to move on.

After the preliminary stage wraps up, the top 16 teams will compete in the Swiss Stage. Those matches will run from October 23 to October 31 at the Credit Union of Texas Event Center in Allen. The final eight will continue their Knockout Stage battle at the same venue from November 3 to November 8. The Grand Final will take place on November 14 at Barclays Center in Brooklyn, New York, deciding whether a new contender or the reigning champion takes the 2026 crown.