League of Legends Worlds Opens October 16 with Four LCK Teams
The 2026 League of Legends World Championship begins October 16 in Los Angeles, with Gen.G, Hanwha Life Esports, T1 and Dplus KIA entering from the Swiss stage.
The 2026 League of Legends World Championship opens on October 16, Korean time, according to game.donga.com. The tournament begins in Los Angeles before moving to Allen, Texas, and concluding in Brooklyn, New York.
Four LCK representatives will compete: Gen.G, Hanwha Life Esports, T1 and Dplus KIA. All four enter from the Swiss stage, skipping the play-in stage. Their first opponents will be decided by a draw after the play-in stage ends on October 19.
The play-in stage runs October 16-19 at the Riot Games Arena in Los Angeles. The Swiss stage runs October 24-27 and October 29-November 1 in Allen, Texas.
The quarterfinals take place November 4-7 and the semifinals on November 8-9 in Allen. The grand final is on November 15 at 4 a.m. at the Barclays Center in Brooklyn, New York.
LCK's recent international run
From 2023 to 2025, T1 won the World Championship three consecutive years, giving the team six total titles, after DRX won in 2022. On September 13, Gen.G beat Hanwha Life Esports 3-1 in the LCK final to win its second consecutive LCK title. In July, Hanwha Life Esports beat China's Bilibili Gaming 3-2 in the MSI final in Daejeon, and Dplus KIA defeated Karmine Corp 3-0 to win the Esports World Cup.
Quick answers
When does the 2026 League of Legends World Championship start?
It opens on October 16, Korean time, with the play-in stage at the Riot Games Arena in Los Angeles. The four LCK teams skip the play-in and enter from the Swiss stage.
Which LCK teams are competing at Worlds 2026?
Gen.G, Hanwha Life Esports, T1 and Dplus KIA.
When is the Worlds 2026 grand final?
November 15 at 4 a.m. at the Barclays Center in Brooklyn, New York.