LoL Esports World Cup 2026: Teams, Schedule, Format, and More

Just days after the conclusion of MSI, it's time to turn our heads over to the League of Legends tournament at the Esports World Cup 2026. A total of 16 teams will head to Paris to compete for the bigger piece of the $2,000,000 prize pool, but only one will come away with the trophy.

Let's have a look at everything you need to know about the LoL Esports World Cup 2026 before the tournament kicks off this Wednesday, July 15.

LoL EWC 2026 Teams and Groups

To start things off, the 16 teams at the event are being split into four separate groups. Here's a complete look at the teams and groups of the 2026 League of Legends Esports World Cup:

Can Gen.G come away with back-to-back EWC titles? (Credit: Esports World Cup)

LoL EWC Playoffs Fixture

With 8 teams eliminated, only 8 remain to contest through a single-elimination bracket.

The third day of the 2026 EWC brings some spicy matchups to kick-start Playoffs. Starting now, all matches will be Bo3 format, excluding the Grand Finals, which will be Bo5. The two losing teams from the Semifinals will play on July 19 for the third place decider.

Format and Schedule for the LoL Esports World Cup

The League of Legends tournament at EWC 2026 will be a sprint, not a marathon. The tournament lasts a total of 5 days, meaning teams will need to bring their A-game from day 1 and adjust on the fly.

The complete format looks as follows:

• Group Stage:
  • Double-elimination bracket
  • Round 1 matches are Bo1
  • Elimination matches are Bo3
  • Top 2 teams per group qualify to Playoffs
• Playoffs:
  
  • Single-elimination bracket
  • All matches are Bo3, except for the Grand Finals (Bo5)
  • A third-place match will take place before the Grand Finals

The tournament is right around the corner! If you want to follow the action, here's a look at the complete schedule to make things a little easier for you.

Opening Matchups

The Group Stage at EWC 2026 will kick off with several exciting matchups on Wednesday, July 15. Here's a look at what to expect from Day 1 of the event:

Group A:

• G2 Esports vs FURIA [4:20 am PT / 1:20 pm CET]
• Anyone's Legend vs Dplus KIA [4:20 am PT / 1:20 pm CET]

Group B:

• Team Secret vs Sentinels [2 am PT / 11 am CET]
• Gen.G vs Karmine Corp [2 am PT / 11 am CET]

Group C:

• Bilibili Gaming vs Movistar KOI [3:10 am PT / 12:10 pm CET]
• T1 vs GAM Esports [3:10 am PT / 12:10 pm CET]

Group D:

• Hanwha Life Esports vs LØS [5:30 am PT / 2:30 pm CET]
• LYON vs JD Gaming [5:30 am PT / 2:30 pm CET]

Where to Watch

You can catch all of the League of Legends Esports World Cup 2026 action live on the official A and B channels for the event on Twitch, as well as on their YouTube channel.

After the excitement of MSI, the EWC event will represent one last international stop before teams head back to their respective regions to play their final split of the year before Worlds!

Follow Strafe Esports for the latest League of Legends news, and our X account for the latest content and coverage. Also, stay tuned to Strafe's YouTube channel for exclusive interviews, press conferences, and more.

Featured image credit: Esports World Cup

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