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All LPL Teams at Worlds 2026 and How They Qualified
The LPL did not complete its lineup for Worlds 2026 until the final day of the Regional Finals. China's qualification race stretched across the end of Split 3 and into one last tournament, with different routes available depending on how teams performed throughout the season.
With the domestic season now over, attention turns to the League of Legends World Championship in the United States. The LPL heads to the tournament with an additional berth earned through its international performance at MSI 2026.
Which LPL Teams Are at Worlds 2026?
The four LPL teams that qualified for Worlds 2026 are Anyone's Legend, Bilibili Gaming, Top Esports and Invictus Gaming. These are the starting lineups used by each team during the final stretch of qualification:
| Team | Seed | Roster: Top / Jungle / Mid / ADC / Support |
|---|---|---|
| Anyone's Legend | 1 | Breathe / Tarzan / Shanks / Hope / Kael |
| Bilibili Gaming | 2 | Bin / XUN / knight / Viper / ON |
| Top Esports | 3 | ZUIAN / Tian / Creme / JackeyLove / Zhuo |
| Invictus Gaming | 4 | TheShy / Wei / Rookie / JiaQi / Meiko |
How Did the LPL Teams Qualify for Worlds?
The LPL originally had three regional berths in the Worlds 2026 format. A fourth was added after Bilibili Gaming finished runner-up to Hanwha Life Esports at MSI 2026, as the runner-up region at MSI receives an additional Worlds seed.
With four places available, China ultimately sent teams to Worlds through three different routes: the Split 3 title, Championship Points and the Regional Finals.
Seed 1: Anyone's Legend
Anyone's Legend opened the playoffs with a 3-1 victory over LGD Gaming, but its first meeting with Bilibili Gaming ended in a 3-0 loss in the upper-bracket final. Dropping to the lower bracket left AL needing one more series win to secure its place at Worlds.
On September 12, Anyone's Legend defeated Invictus Gaming 3-2 to book its ticket to the World Championship. One day later, AL got its rematch against BLG and won the Grand Final 3-1, turning qualification into an LPL title and securing China's first seed.
The championship also capped a strong domestic season for Anyone's Legend, which will enter Worlds at the top of an LPL lineup that was not fully settled until almost a week later.
Seed 2: Bilibili Gaming
Bilibili Gaming entered the Split 3 playoffs in a very different position. Its season-long results had already secured a Worlds berth through Championship Points, making BLG the first Chinese team mathematically guaranteed a place at the tournament.
The remaining question was its seed. Bilibili Gaming defeated Team WE 3-1 before sweeping Anyone's Legend 3-0 in the upper-bracket final, reaching the title match without dropping into the lower bracket.
Anyone's Legend reversed that result in the Grand Final with a 3-1 victory. Without the Split 3 title, BLG's Championship Points became the deciding factor, placing the team second among the LPL's four Worlds representatives.
Seed 3: Top Esports
Top Esports had to recover from an early playoff exit. TES lost 3-2 to LGD Gaming before another five-game defeat, this time against Invictus Gaming in the lower bracket, ended its Split 3 run and forced the team into the Regional Finals.
Its 105 Championship Points still gave TES the strongest position among the four teams in the qualifier. On September 17, Top Esports defeated Invictus Gaming 3-1 in its first Regional Finals series, immediately securing the LPL's third seed without needing a second chance.
The result made TES the first team to qualify through the Regional Finals and left the remaining three contenders fighting over China's final Worlds spot.
Seed 4: Invictus Gaming
Invictus Gaming took the longest route of any LPL representative. Its postseason began in Knights Rivals, where iG swept ThunderTalk Gaming 3-0 to enter the Split 3 playoffs through the lower bracket.
From there, Invictus Gaming eliminated Top Esports, Team WE and LGD Gaming before falling to Anyone's Legend in a five-game lower-bracket final. That run still left iG with 90 Championship Points and another opportunity in the Regional Finals.
The first chance ended in a 3-1 loss to Top Esports. Two days later, on September 19, Invictus Gaming defeated JD Gaming 3-1 in the deciding series to secure the LPL's fourth and final seed.
The qualification also sends TheShy and Rookie to Worlds together for the second consecutive year since their return to Invictus Gaming. Their history at the tournament stretches back much further: in 2018, the pair won the World Championship with iG and delivered the LPL its first title on the list of League of Legends Worlds winners.
Do the LPL Teams Play in the Worlds 2026 Play-In Stage?
None of the LPL's four representatives will compete in the Worlds 2026 Play-In Stage. Under the current format, the opening stage features the third seeds from the LCS, LEC and LCP alongside the CBLOL's second seed.
Anyone's Legend, Bilibili Gaming, Top Esports and Invictus Gaming are therefore all qualified directly for the Swiss Stage.
That is a notable change for Invictus Gaming in particular. At Worlds 2025, iG also entered as China's fourth seed but had to face T1 in the Play-In Stage and was eliminated before reaching the main event. This time, TheShy, Rookie and the rest of the team are guaranteed a place in the Swiss Stage.
The 2026 Play-In Stage will feature four teams in a double-elimination bracket played entirely as best-of-five series. Only one team will advance, completing the 16-team Swiss Stage field.
When Do the LPL Teams Start at Worlds 2026?
Worlds 2026 begins on October 15 with the Play-In Stage at the Riot Games Arena in Los Angeles. Since no LPL team participates in that stage, China's four representatives will begin their campaigns on October 23, when the Swiss Stage starts in Allen, Texas.
The Swiss Stage runs from October 23 to 26 and October 28 to 31 at the Credit Union of Texas Event Center. The same venue will host the Knockout Stage from November 3 to 8.
The Grand Final is scheduled for 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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All LCK Teams at Worlds 2026 and How They Qualified
