Worlds 2026 brings 19 teams to three US cities

Worlds 2026 runs from October 15 to November 14, bringing 19 League of Legends teams to Los Angeles, Allen and Brooklyn. Riot has expanded the field with a second CBLOL place and changed Play-Ins to a four-team double-elimination bracket.

The tournament begins at the Riot Games Arena in Los Angeles before moving to Texas for the Swiss and knockout stages. Barclays Center in Brooklyn hosts the grand final.

Worlds 2026 qualification includes 19 teams

LCK, LCS, LCP, LEC and LPL each receive three places, creating 15 of the 19 entries. CBLOL receives two. The MSI champion gains one place if that team reaches its domestic playoffs, and the region that finished second at MSI receives the final additional slot.

Riot’s official Worlds update says regional performance, including MSI results, will determine seeding. The qualified team list will only become final after the regional seasons conclude.

Four teams enter Play-Ins from October 15–18. They play a double-elimination best-of-five bracket, but only one advances to the Swiss stage. That makes Play-Ins a qualification filter rather than a broad opening group.

Los Angeles, Allen and Brooklyn split the schedule

• Play-Ins: October 15–18, Riot Games Arena, Los Angeles
• Swiss stage: October 23–26 and October 28–31, CUTX Event Center, Allen
• Quarterfinals: November 3–6, Allen
• Semifinals: November 7–8, Allen
• Grand final: November 14, Barclays Center, Brooklyn

The gaps between stages matter for preparation. Teams leaving Play-Ins gain match practice but reveal drafts, while direct Swiss entrants arrive with less public footage. Once the field reaches best-of-five knockouts, adaptation across several games becomes more important than one surprise pick.

Our guide to LoL flex picks explains how draft information changes during a series. The 90-second objective setup offers a practical way to review the map decisions that often decide international games.

Source: Riot Games, March 22 and May 28, 2026.