League of Legends Worlds 2026 to span three US locations

The League of Legends World Championship 2026 will take place in the United States over 30 days, with stages in Los Angeles, Texas and Brooklyn. Nineteen teams have qualified so far while qualification continues, and the tournament has a $5 million prize pool.

Play-Ins will open the event in Los Angeles. The Swiss Stage, quarter-finals and semi-finals will follow in Texas before the Grand Final at Brooklyn’s Barclays Center. The source does not specify dates for the stages.

Qualified teams so far

The teams named so far include four from the LCK: T1, Gen.G, Hanwha Life Esports and Dplus KIA. Bilibili Gaming, Anyone’s Legend and Top Esports are listed from the LPL.

G2 Esports and Karmine Corp are named from the LEC, while the LCP teams listed are CTBC Flying Oyster, Movistar KOI and Team Secret Whales. Those 12 named teams are part of the 19 reported to have secured places; the remaining qualified teams are not identified in the source.

Qualification stages are still in progress. The teams that reach the event will compete through three stages to decide the champion.

How the tournament works

Four teams will contest the Play-In in a double-elimination bracket, with one advancing. The Swiss Stage will feature 16 teams playing five matches, and teams that secure three wins will progress to the playoffs.

Eight teams will then enter a single-elimination knockout bracket. It begins with the quarter-finals, continues through the semi-finals and concludes with the Grand Final in Brooklyn.

The champions will receive $1 million from the $5 million prize pool. Teams finishing lower will also receive prize money, although the source does not give a breakdown by placing.