Riot Games Reveals 2026 League of Legends Esports Schedule
On Friday, Riot Games announced new details about the 2026 international League of Legends esports calendar. Alongside the schedule, they released a new cinematic created in collaboration with longtime partner Fortiche.
Host Cities and Tournament Formats
The announcement includes the cities hosting major events, tournament structures, and anticipated viewership milestones for the upcoming competitive season.
Worlds 2025 Play-Ins Success
Riot Games highlighted that the Worlds 2025 Play-Ins reached a new peak in viewership. The match between T1 and Invictus Gaming became the most-watched Play-Ins match in event history. Despite not revealing exact numbers, Riot sees this as a sign of continued global enthusiasm for the esport.
Stand Tournament in São Paulo
The first significant event of 2026 will be the Stand Tournament, set for March 16-22 at the Riot Games Arena in São Paulo, Brazil. The format will consist of two double-elimination groups leading into single-elimination knockout rounds. All matches will be best-of-five, a format Riot states ensures competitive integrity throughout.
Mid-Season Invitational Returns to Korea
The Mid-Season Invitational (MSI) will be hosted in Daejeon, Korea, next year. Eleven teams will participate, starting with a Play-In Stage that advances one team into a double-elimination Bracket Stage. Riot designed this format to provide emerging regions a clearer path while maintaining tough competition for top-seeded teams.
Riot Games stated the best-of-five match structure is intended "to maintain competitive integrity throughout the bracket."
About the MSI format, Riot explained it aims "to give emerging regions a clearer path while ensuring top-seeded teams face rigorous competition."
Author's summary: Riot Games has detailed its 2026 League of Legends esports calendar, introducing a competitive format designed to balance fairness and emerging region inclusion, alongside a new cinematic unveiling.