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MSI 2026 Pick'Ems Guide and Rewards: Play-In Stage
MSI 2026 is right around the corner, and the first stage of the Pick'Ems challenge is already open! It is time to start making your predictions for the Play-In Stage and begin your journey towards the event's coveted Pick'Ems rewards. So, let's take a look at how to make your picks and how you can better guide your selections with our MSI 2026 Play-In Stage Pick'Ems Guide.
Don't wait too long, though! Remember that the Play-In Stage predictions close on Sunday, June 28, at 5:10 am CET.
How to do your MSI 2026 Pick'Ems
To access the Pick'Ems challenge, all you need to do is visit the official LoL Esports link for the challenge and log in with your Riot account. Once on there, you will have the option to insert your picks for the initial stage of the tournament: the Play-In Stage.
Alternatively, you can also make your picks directly through the League of Legends client.
The point of the challenge is to correctly predict how the bracket will play out. The deeper into the Play-In bracket, the more points you will earn for correct predictions. Correctly predicting the team that wins this stage grans you the most points. Note that a maximum of 90 points are up for grabs during this stage of the Pick'Ems challenge.
Make sure to make all of your predictions to lock your picks!
MSI 2026 Play-In Stage: Pick'Ems by Strafe
The Play-In Stage of MSI 2026 features four teams: T1, Karmine Corp, Team Liquid, and Deep Cross Gaming.
Given they are the reigning World Champions and they will be playing at MSI on home ground to top things off, T1 look like the biggest favorites to make it past the Play-In Stage. After taking down Gen.G across a thrilling 5-game series just days ago, the rest of the teams in this stage shouldn't pose too much of a threat to T1.
Over on the other side of the bracket we have the LCP's Deep Cross Gaming. Despite a magical resurgence in the playoffs to qualify to MSI, the truth is DCG struggled all throughout their Regular Season against arguably weaker opposition than the one they're about to face. With that in mind, Deep Cross Gaming look like the weakest team in the Play-In Stage.
And then we have Karmine Corp and Team Liquid. TL have individually skilled enough players that they may surprise anyone, but when it comes to a long Bo5 series, KC should definitely be the better team. The French side pushed G2 Esports to the limit after qualifying to MSI, and it's hard to imagine Team Liquid is capable of doing the same.
Our power rankings currently stand as T1 > Karmine Corp > Team Liquid > Deep Cross Gaming. As for your MSI 2026 Play-In Pick'Ems, the bracket is most likely to play out as shown above. Of course, surprises can never be ruled out...
MSI 2026 Pick'Ems Rewards
The MSI 2026 Pick'Ems will reward anyone who chooses to partake in the challenge. That said, the better you perform, the better the reward.
Here's a look at the complete list of Pick'Ems rewards from MSI 2026 according to your performance:
- Participation (Play-ins or Bracket stage) - Exclusive El Tigre Braum "Pinfall" Emote
- Top 50% - Exclusive Zenith Games Blitzcrank "Settle the Score" Icon + Participation reward
- Top 25% - Exclusive Janitor Thresh & Zac "Clean Up" Emote + everything from Top 50% and Participation.
- Perfect Picks - Earn Broken Covenant Jhin + Jhin champion and everything included in the previous tiers!
With some amazing skins up for grabs, making informed picks has never been so important!
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Featured image credit: Colin Young-Wolff/Riot Games
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