LoL Worlds 2026 in Malaysia time: MVK Esports open Play-In against FURIA at 2am on Friday, 16 October
Worlds 2026 begins in Los Angeles with Vietnam's MVK Esports facing FURIA at 2am Malaysia time on 16 October. Full schedule in MYT up to the 15 November final.
The 2026 League of Legends World Championship starts this week in the United States, and for fans in Malaysia that means early alarms. The opening Play-In series between Vietnam's MVK Esports and Brazil's FURIA is scheduled for 11am Pacific time on Thursday, 15 October, which is 2am on Friday, 16 October in Malaysia. This guide builds on the Play-In draw announced on 10 October, converting the confirmed schedule into Malaysia time (UTC+8).
Play-In: four teams, one ticket
The Play-In takes place at the Riot Games Arena in Los Angeles from 15 to 18 October local time. Four teams compete in a double-elimination bracket, with every series played as a best-of-five, and only one team advances to the Swiss stage.
The four teams are:
- MVK Esports, the LCP's third seed
- FURIA, Brazil's second seed after losing the CBLOL final 3-2 to LOS
- Cloud9, the LCS's third seed
- Karmine Corp, the LEC's third seed
The opening matches on Friday, 16 October (Malaysia time):
- 2am: FURIA vs MVK Esports
- 7am: Cloud9 vs Karmine Corp
Each day's Play-In action begins at 11am Pacific time, which is 2am in Malaysia, and the stage concludes on Monday, 19 October, Malaysia time. Winners of the opening round move into the upper bracket, while the losers get a second chance in the lower bracket.
MVK, whose line-up includes Kratos, Gury, Chika, Harky and SiuLoong, carry the hopes of South-East Asian fans in the Play-In. To reach the main event they would need to come through a field that includes established sides from Europe and North America.
Swiss stage in Texas
The Swiss stage moves to Allen, Texas, and runs from 23 to 31 October local time, or 24 October to 1 November in Malaysia. Sixteen teams take part: the Play-In winner plus 15 direct qualifiers.
- LCK: Gen.G, Hanwha Life Esports, T1, Dplus KIA
- LPL: Anyone's Legend, Bilibili Gaming, Top Esports, Invictus Gaming
- LEC: G2 Esports, Movistar KOI
- LCS: Team Liquid, LYON
- LCP: Team Secret Whales, CTBC Flying Oyster
- CBLOL: LOS
Teams with the same record face each other. Most matches are best-of-one, while qualification and elimination matches are best-of-three. The eight teams that reach three wins go through to the knockout stage.
Knockouts and the final
All knockout matches are best-of-five. In Malaysia time, the quarter-finals are scheduled from 4 to 7 November and the semi-finals on 8 and 9 November.
The final will be played at the Barclays Center in Brooklyn, New York, on Saturday, 14 November local time. That is 3am on Sunday, 15 November in Malaysia.
T1 are the defending champions, having won the last three titles from 2023 to 2025. A Korean winner this year would be the LCK's fifth title in a row.
Key takeaways
- Worlds 2026 opens with FURIA vs MVK Esports at 2am Malaysia time on Friday, 16 October.
- The four-team Play-In in Los Angeles is double elimination, best-of-five, and only one team advances.
- The Swiss stage runs from 24 October to 1 November in Malaysia time, in Allen, Texas.
- The final is at the Barclays Center, Brooklyn, at 3am Malaysia time on Sunday, 15 November.
- T1 are the three-time defending champions.
FAQ
When does LoL Worlds 2026 start in Malaysia time? The first Play-In match, FURIA vs MVK Esports, is at 2am on Friday, 16 October 2026 Malaysia time.
What time is the Worlds 2026 final in Malaysia? The final is on Saturday, 14 November in New York, which is 3am on Sunday, 15 November in Malaysia.
How many teams qualify from the Worlds 2026 Play-In? Only one of the four Play-In teams advances to the Swiss stage, joining the 15 teams that qualified directly.
Sources: Inven Global, Strafe, mid.gg, GosuGamers, RFT