Riot Games Announces 2026 League of Legends Esports Schedule and New Cinematic
On Friday, Riot Games revealed key details about the 2026 international League of Legends esports calendar, alongside a new cinematic produced with longtime partner Fortiche. The announcement includes host cities, tournament formats, and audience milestones ahead of the upcoming competitive season.
Viewership Milestones
Riot Games highlighted that the Worlds 2025 Play-Ins reached a record viewership peak. The matchup between T1 and Invictus Gaming became the most-watched Play-Ins match in the event's history. While exact numbers were not shared, Riot described this as a sign of continuous global enthusiasm for the esport.
2026 Tournament Schedule and Formats
- Stand Tournament: Scheduled for March 16-22 at the Riot Games Arena in São Paulo, Brazil. It will feature two double-elimination groups that lead into single-elimination knockout rounds. All matches will be best-of-five to ensure competitive fairness throughout the tournament.
- Mid-Season Invitational (MSI): Returning to Korea, hosted in Daejeon. The event will have eleven teams starting with a Play-In Stage that advances one team to a double-elimination Bracket Stage. The format is designed to offer emerging regions a clearer route while maintaining challenging competition for top seeds.
"The format is designed to give emerging regions a clearer path while ensuring top-seeded teams face rigorous competition."
These updates reflect Riot's ongoing efforts to enhance competitive integrity and global engagement in League of Legends esports.
Riot Games is expanding the 2026 League of Legends esports season with optimized tournament formats and record-breaking viewership milestones, reinforcing its global reach and competitive fairness.