The biggest event on the League of Legends calendar returns this fall, spread across three American cities with an expanded team count. Here's the full rundown of when, where, and how it works.
When it happens
The 2026 League of Legends World Championship runs October 15 to November 14, 2026 — a full month of competition.
Where it's being held
Worlds 2026 marks the United States' fifth time hosting the tournament, split across three venues:
- Los Angeles — the play-in stage, at Riot Games Arena
- Allen, Texas — the Swiss stage, quarterfinals, and semifinals, at the Credit Union of Texas Event Center
- New York City — the finals, at Barclays Center in Brooklyn
This is also the fourth time Los Angeles specifically has hosted a stage of Worlds.
The format
2026 brings an expanded 19-team field. Four teams open in a double-elimination play-in stage to earn the remaining Swiss-stage spots. From there, 16 teams compete in a Swiss stage, with the survivors advancing into a single-elimination knockout bracket to crown the champion. Every series throughout the entire tournament is played as a best-of-five, under Fearless Draft rules — meaning champions picked in an earlier game of a series can't be picked again later in that same series, forcing wider champion pools out of every team.
Who's qualifying
The major regions — LCK, LPL, LEC, LCS, and LCP — each send three teams directly into the Swiss stage, while CBLOL sends two. Rounding out the field, both the winner and runner-up of the 2026 Mid-Season Invitational earn their spots as well.
Who's defending
T1 enter 2026 as three-time defending champions after their 2025 win, making them the team every other region is explicitly building around beating.
Not a pro yourself? That's fine
Worlds is built for the tiny fraction of players competing at an elite level, but the appeal of head-to-head competition — a clear winner, a rematch button, bragging rights over a friend — doesn't require pro-level stakes to feel good. That's the whole idea behind RivalPit: casual, browser-based multiplayer games where anyone can challenge a friend and get a real match, no ranked ladder or five-year grind required.
Frequently asked questions
When is League of Legends Worlds 2026?
October 15 to November 14, 2026.
Where is Worlds 2026 being held?
Across three US cities: the play-in stage at Riot Games Arena in Los Angeles, the Swiss stage through semifinals at the Credit Union of Texas Event Center in Allen, Texas, and the finals at Barclays Center in Brooklyn, New York City.
How many teams are competing in 2026?
19 teams — an expanded format with a double-elimination play-in (4 teams), a Swiss stage where 16 teams battle for knockout spots, and a single-elimination bracket to crown the champion. All series are best-of-five, played under Fearless Draft rules.
Who is the defending champion?
T1, who enter 2026 as three-time defending champions after winning in 2025.