KPL Grand Finals 2026: JDG beat summer champions TTG 4-2 to open Changsha knockout stage
JD Gaming won four of six games against Guangzhou TTG in the first best-of-seven of the KPL Grand Finals knockouts, coming back from a big gold deficit in game five.
Beijing JDG beat Guangzhou TTG 4-2 on Tuesday evening, 27 October, in the opening series of the King Pro League (KPL) Grand Finals 2026 knockout stage in Changsha. The win puts JDG into the upper-bracket semi-finals of China's top Honor of Kings competition. TTG, the summer split champions, drop into the lower bracket.
How the series played out
JDG won the first two games of the best-of-seven. TTG then won games three and four to level the series at 2-2, and Hexi (鹤辞) was named MVP on Nüwa in game four.
Game five decided the series. Chinese match reports say TTG built a lead of around 10,000 gold and took down JDG's top-lane tower, but JDG won a decisive teamfight late in the game and pushed through to the crystal for a 3-2 lead. Guang Ming (光明) was named MVP on Charlotte.
JDG won game six quickly, taking the crystal at roughly the 13-minute mark to seal the series. Chinese reports also named Wu Wei (无畏) MVP of game one and Guang Ming MVP of game two. JDG's Qing Rong (清融) celebrated his birthday on match day.
Knockout format and bracket
The knockout stage is a double-elimination bracket for eight teams, and every series is best-of-seven. Games use a global ban-and-pick draft. If a series reaches 3-3, game seven becomes a Peak Duel (巅峰对决), in which the normal draft rules are set aside and teams lock in their heroes blind, with no bans.
The draw keeps top seeds JDG and Suzhou KSG on opposite sides of the bracket, so they cannot meet before the grand final.
- Upper half: JDG now wait for the winner of Chongqing Wolves vs Changsha TES.A.
- Lower half: the winner of KSG vs Beijing WB meets the winner of Shanghai EDG.M vs Hangzhou LGD.NBW.
Remaining first-round schedule (Malaysia time)
Changsha is on the same time zone as Malaysia (UTC+8), so the listed start times apply directly:
- Wednesday 28 October, 6pm: Chongqing Wolves vs Changsha TES.A (under way at the time of writing)
- Thursday 29 October, 6pm: Suzhou KSG vs Beijing WB
- Friday 30 October, 6pm: Shanghai EDG.M vs Hangzhou LGD.NBW
Champions already gone
Chengdu AG Super Play, the 2025 KPL Grand Finals champions, will not play in the knockouts. Chinese reports say they lost a best-of-seven to Changsha TES.A in the play-in stage in Guangzhou last week.
The Changsha knockout stage runs until 8 November. The grand final is scheduled for 14 November in Chengdu. The prize pool is reported at around 70 million yuan.
Key takeaways
- JDG beat TTG 4-2 in the first best-of-seven of the KPL Grand Finals knockouts on 27 October.
- TTG levelled at 2-2 and led by about 10,000 gold in game five, but JDG came back to win the game and the series.
- JDG play the winner of Chongqing Wolves vs Changsha TES.A in the upper semi-finals. TTG move to the lower bracket.
- Defending champions AG Super Play were knocked out in the play-in stage.
- The grand final is on 14 November in Chengdu.
FAQ
What format is the KPL Grand Finals 2026 knockout stage? It is an eight-team, double-elimination bracket with best-of-seven series. A seventh game is played as a blind-pick Peak Duel.
What time are KPL Grand Finals matches in Malaysia? China and Malaysia share UTC+8, so the 6pm start times in Changsha are also 6pm MYT.
When and where is the KPL Grand Finals 2026 final? The final is scheduled for 14 November in Chengdu, after the Changsha knockout stage ends on 8 November.
Sources: Sina, SMZDM, Players.com.ua