Worlds 2026 Play-In draw set for Saturday as Vietnam's MVK Esports await opponents; Pick'Ems open

The League of Legends World Championship field is complete, and the next step is the Play-In draw. It will take place on Saturday, 10 October, right after Brazil's CBLOL final. That is around 3am on Sunday, 11 October, in Malaysia.

Vietnam's MVK Esports, the third seed from the Asia-Pacific league (LCP), are in the Play-In group. They will find out their first opponent once the draw is made. Worlds Pick'Ems also open on the same day.

Who is in the Play-In stage?

This year, only four teams start in the Play-Ins, and none of them come from Korea or China:

• Karmine Corp (LEC, Europe third seed)
• Cloud9 Kia (LCS, North America third seed)
• MVK Esports (LCP, Asia-Pacific third seed)
• The CBLOL runner-up (Brazil second seed)

The fourth team will be decided in the CBLOL final in Rio de Janeiro, where FURIA play LØS. Both teams have already qualified for Worlds. The winner goes straight to the Swiss Stage, and the loser goes into the Play-Ins.

The Play-In is a double-elimination bracket with every series played as a best-of-five. It runs from 15 to 18 October (US time), and only the winner advances to the Swiss Stage.

What MVK bring

MVK qualified on championship points earned across the 2026 LCP season. Their head coach and co-owner is SofM, the Vietnamese former jungler who reached the Worlds final with Suning in 2020. Jungler Gury is the only player on the roster with previous Worlds experience, and midlaner Chika is a rookie.

Vietnam has two teams at Worlds this year. Team Secret Whales also qualified from the LCP, alongside CTBC Flying Oyster.

Pick'Ems open the same day

Riot's Pick'Ems prediction game returns for Worlds 2026, along with the Crystal Ball mode. Picks for the Play-In stage and Crystal Ball open at 4pm Pacific time on 10 October, which is 7am on 11 October in Malaysia.

Picks for the Swiss Stage open on 18 October, and knockout-stage picks open on 31 October. Each stage's picks must be locked before that stage starts. Rewards this year include an icon and an emote based on the new True Damage skins, which will be handed out within 48 hours of the final on 14 November.

The rest of the draw calendar

• 18 October: Swiss Stage round one draw, after the Play-In final. Sixteen teams are split into four pools, and teams from the same region avoid each other in round one.
• 23 to 30 October: Further Swiss draws take place as the stage goes on.
• 31 October: Knockout Stage draw. Teams that finish 3-0 in the Swiss Stage face teams that finish 3-2.

The Swiss Stage begins on 23 October in Allen, Texas. The knockouts run from 3 November, and the final is at Barclays Center in Brooklyn on 14 November.

Key takeaways

• The Worlds 2026 Play-In draw is on 10 October, after the CBLOL final (around 3am on 11 October in Malaysia).
• Karmine Corp, Cloud9 Kia, MVK Esports and the CBLOL runner-up play a best-of-five double-elimination Play-In stage from 15 to 18 October.
• Only one Play-In team advances to the Swiss Stage.
• Pick'Ems for the Play-Ins open at 7am on 11 October, Malaysia time.

FAQ

Which teams are in the Worlds 2026 Play-In stage? Karmine Corp, Cloud9 Kia, Vietnam's MVK Esports and the loser of the CBLOL final between FURIA and LØS.

When is the Worlds 2026 Play-In draw in Malaysia time? It follows the CBLOL final on 10 October and is expected at around 3am on Sunday, 11 October in Malaysia.

When do Worlds 2026 Pick'Ems open? Play-In and Crystal Ball picks open at 4pm Pacific time on 10 October (7am on 11 October in Malaysia). Swiss picks open on 18 October.

Sources: Insider Gaming, Sheep Esports, Inven Global