Riot Games unveils 2026 LoL schedule as T1, KT gear up for Worlds finals

View of the Summoner’s Cup that will be lifted by the winner of the 2025 League of Legends World Championship (Riot Games)

Riot Games on Friday unveiled its 2026 League of Legends global esports schedule, announcing Brazil, South Korea and the United States as hosts for its three major international tournaments.

Chris Greeley, global head of League of Legends esports at Riot Games, unveiled the 2026 competitive calendar during a media showcase held Friday in Chengdu, China, detailing the locations of the company’s three major international tournaments -- the First Stand Tournament (FST), the Mid-Season Invitational (MSI) and the World Championship.

Greeley announced that the 2026 FST will take place in Brazil from March 16 to 22, while the MSI will be held in Daejeon, South Korea.

He also confirmed adjustments to the MSI format, noting, “We’ve made a change to the play-in stage for 2026 MSI, which will now qualify one team into the bracket stage while continuing to use a double elimination format and full best of fives,” adding, “Dates and venue and seating details will all be announced a little bit later, but we’re thrilled to return to Korea -- a region that continues to set the global standard for excellence in League of Legends.”

The 2026 League of Legends World Championship will head to the United States.

According to Greeley, the event will take place across two cities, with Texas set to host the play-ins, Swiss stage, quarterfinals and semifinals before the competition moves east for the grand final in New York City. “We opted to visit only two cities for Worlds next year to prioritize a larger venue capable of hosting more stages of the event,” he said.

Riot Games CEO Dylan Jadeja reiterated the company’s long-term focus on League of Legends, emphasizing its central role within Riot’s ecosystem. “League of Legends has and always will be core to who Riot is, and our commitment to the game and the sport in this community has never been stronger,” Jadeja said.

He added, “From the shift to a seasonal model with individual thematics and a connected story to our new tournament FST -- to setting a record of 34 million viewers at MSI in my country, Canada, this year ... we have a lot more, I promise you, in store for players for the next few years.”

The showcase also included a Q&A session with players from the two Korean teams competing in the 2025 Worlds Finals -- T1 and KT Rolster.

T1, led by legendary player Lee “Faker” Sang-hyeok, holds five World Championship titles (2013, 2015, 2016, 2023 and 2024), while this marks KT Rolster’s first appearance in the finals. The matchup represents the first all-Korean Worlds Finals since DRX faced T1 in 2022.

When asked whether he pays attention to fans’ predictions or commentary regarding the highly anticipated game, Faker said he does not. “Outside opinions don’t affect our mindset. We don’t know what the outcome of the finals will be either, but our goal is simply to do our best,” Lee said.

Reflecting on his continued success, Lee added that his motivation comes from the process rather than the accolades. “Working hard and staying consistent isn’t for the sake of my career,” he said. “It’s because I enjoy winning and competing. And I also want to show my fans my best and inspire them.”

KT Rolster, which has maintained a 90.9 percent win rate during this year’s Worlds -- one of the highest in the team’s history -- said they believe they are currently at their competitive peak.

“This is the most motivated and enjoyable period of my professional career,” said Kwak “BDD” Bo-seong. “I believe my skills have improved every year, and right now, I feel I’m performing at my best.”

Addressing comparisons between KT’s current run and DRX’s underdog victory over T1 in 2022, Kwak said their story served as inspiration.

“I couldn’t watch (DRX’s game) live at the time because I was going through a tough period personally, but after watching their championship video later, I thought, ‘I need to do better too.’” He added, “Right now, my mindset isn’t about just winning the finals -- it’s about showing everything I can.”