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All LEC Teams at Worlds 2026 and How They Qualified
The LEC had one of the most direct qualification systems for Worlds 2026: no Championship Points and no separate Regional Finals. Everything came down to the Summer Split playoffs, where every series could change not only who reached the World Championship, but also where their run would begin.
Three European teams ultimately earned tickets to the League of Legends World Championship in the United States. With only the top two seeds advancing directly to the Swiss Stage, however, finishing position carried an extra consequence in the final days of the LEC season.
Which LEC Teams Are at Worlds 2026?
The three LEC teams that qualified for Worlds 2026 are G2 Esports, Movistar KOI and Karmine Corp. Here are the lineups heading into the tournament:
| Team | Seed | Roster: Top / Jungle / Mid / ADC / Support |
|---|---|---|
| G2 Esports | 1 | BrokenBlade / SkewMond / Caps / Hans Sama / Labrov |
| Movistar KOI | 2 | Myrwn / Elyoya / Jojopyun / Supa / Alvaro |
| Karmine Corp | 3 | Canna / Yike / kyeahoo / Caliste / Busio |
With all three spots decided, the LEC lineup is complete on the list of all teams qualified for Worlds 2026.
How Did the LEC Teams Qualify for Worlds?
Europe's qualification system was entirely tied to the 2026 LEC Summer Split playoffs. The top three teams qualified for Worlds, while their final placement determined the region's first, second and third seeds.
That made the bracket itself the qualification race. There was no Championship Points route to fall back on and no Regional Finals after the playoffs, so teams that dropped into the lower bracket had to keep winning to stay in contention.
Seed 1: G2 Esports
G2 Esports was the first European team to mathematically secure its place at Worlds. On September 5, a 3-0 sweep of Team Vitality guaranteed G2 at least a top-three finish in the Summer Split playoffs.
A 3-1 victory over Karmine Corp the following day sent G2 directly to the Grand Final. Just as importantly for Worlds seeding, the result guaranteed that the team could no longer finish third and therefore would not have to enter the Play-In Stage.
G2 completed the run on September 20 with a 3-0 sweep of Movistar KOI in the Grand Final. The championship gave G2 the LEC's first seed and marked the organization's 20th European title.
Seed 2: Movistar KOI
Movistar KOI took the most dramatic route of Europe's three representatives. The team finished the regular season 4-5 and entered the playoffs as the lowest seed, which meant its Worlds hopes depended on surviving the lower bracket without a single series loss.
MKOI first edged Team Vitality 3-2 to keep its season alive. On September 18, the team then defeated Natus Vincere 3-1 and secured the final European Worlds berth still available.
Qualification was only part of the comeback. One day later, Movistar KOI swept Karmine Corp 3-0 in the lower-bracket final, moving past KC in the seeding order and securing direct entry to the Swiss Stage. The run ended with a 3-0 loss to G2 in the Grand Final, leaving MKOI as the LEC's second seed.
Seed 3: Karmine Corp
Karmine Corp entered the playoffs from a completely different position. KC had gone a perfect 9-0 in the regular season, and a 3-1 victory over GIANTX in its opening playoff series was enough to secure the organization's first appearance at Worlds.
The rest of the bracket determined how that debut would begin. Karmine Corp lost 3-1 to G2 Esports before facing Movistar KOI in the lower-bracket final, where a 3-0 defeat dropped KC to third place.
That contrast makes Karmine Corp's qualification unique among the European teams. The organization went undefeated throughout the regular season and reached Worlds in its first opportunity, but its final playoff placement means its international debut begins one stage earlier than those of G2 and MKOI.
Why Does Karmine Corp Play in the Worlds 2026 Play-In Stage?
Karmine Corp is the only LEC representative that will not start Worlds 2026 directly in the Swiss Stage. As Europe's third seed, KC enters through the Play-In Stage, while G2 Esports and Movistar KOI wait in the next phase.
The Play-In Stage will run from October 15 to 18 at the Riot Games Arena in Los Angeles. Four teams will compete in a double-elimination bracket played entirely as best-of-five series, with only one advancing to complete the 16-team Swiss Stage field.
When Do the LEC Teams Start at Worlds 2026?
Karmine Corp will be the first European team to play, beginning its Worlds campaign on October 15 when the Play-In Stage starts in Los Angeles.
G2 Esports and Movistar KOI will enter the tournament on October 23, when the Swiss Stage begins at the Credit Union of Texas Event Center in Allen, Texas.
The Swiss Stage runs from October 23 to 26 and October 28 to 31. The Knockout Stage will take place from November 3 to 8, also in Allen, before the Grand Final on November 14 at Barclays Center in Brooklyn, New York. See the Worlds 2026 broadcast start times for every region.
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Featured image credit: Riot Games
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