Worlds 2026 Swiss Stage draw: Gen.G meet Invictus Gaming, Anyone's Legend face Karmine Corp
The Worlds 2026 Swiss Stage opens on 23 October in Texas, which is early Saturday morning in Malaysia. Round 1 pairs Gen.G with Invictus Gaming and T1 with LOS.
The League of Legends World Championship 2026 moves into its Swiss Stage this week, and the Round 1 draw is out. Gen.G will meet Invictus Gaming, and Anyone's Legend will take on Karmine Corp when play begins on Friday 23 October at the Credit Union of Texas Event Center in Allen, Texas. For fans in Malaysia, the first match starts around 1am on Saturday 24 October.
Sixteen teams are in the Swiss Stage. Karmine Corp took the last place by winning the Play-In final on Sunday 18 October. Eight teams will go through to the knockouts.
The Round 1 pairings
All eight Round 1 series are best-of-one, according to Dot Esports and DraftCoach. Teams from the same region cannot meet in the first round. The top-seeded teams are drawn against the lowest seeds, and the second and third seeds face each other.
- Gen.G (LCK) vs Invictus Gaming (LPL)
- Team Liquid Alienware (LCS) vs CTBC Flying Oyster (LCP)
- Anyone's Legend (LPL) vs Karmine Corp (LEC)
- G2 Esports (LEC) vs Dplus KIA (LCK)
- Hanwha Life Esports (LCK) vs TOP Esports (LPL)
- LOS (CBLOL) vs T1 (LCK)
- Team Secret Whales (LCP) vs LYON (LCS)
- Bilibili Gaming (LPL) vs Movistar KOI (LEC)
The order of matches on the day is still listed as subject to change.
Start times in Malaysia
DraftCoach reports that Round 1 runs one match per hour from 10am to 5pm Pacific time. That works out to roughly 1am to 8am Malaysia time on Saturday. Inven Global lists the Oct. 23-24 broadcast at 12pm Central time, which is 1am in Malaysia. Round 2 follows on 24 October in Texas, so it lands in the early hours of Sunday 25 October in Malaysia. Exact slots could move, so check the official Worlds schedule.
How the Swiss Stage works
Each team plays until it collects three wins or three losses. Three wins send a team to the knockout stage, and three losses end its run. After the opening round, teams face opponents with the same record, and no pair can meet twice. Same-region matchups are allowed from Round 2 onward.
Series are mostly best-of-one. A match that decides whether a team advances or is eliminated is a best-of-three, according to Esports.gg. The Swiss Stage has match days on 23 to 26 October and 28 to 31 October. The quarter-final draw is held on 31 October, and the knockouts begin on 3 November, according to Dot Esports.
The Asia-Pacific teams
The LCP, the Asia-Pacific league, has two teams in the Swiss Stage: Team Secret Whales and CTBC Flying Oyster. Both start in Round 1 against North American opponents. MVK Esports, the LCP side that came through the Play-In, was knocked out by Karmine Corp in the Play-In final and is no longer in the tournament.
Key takeaways
- Worlds 2026 Swiss Stage Round 1 is on 23 October in Allen, Texas, starting about 1am Saturday in Malaysia.
- Gen.G vs Invictus Gaming and Anyone's Legend vs Karmine Corp are among the eight pairings.
- LCP teams Team Secret Whales and CTBC Flying Oyster face LYON and Team Liquid Alienware.
- Three wins reach the knockouts, which start on 3 November.
FAQ
Q: What time does the Worlds 2026 Swiss Stage start in Malaysia? Round 1 begins on Friday 23 October in Texas. The first match is at about 1am on Saturday 24 October Malaysia time, with later games each hour.
Q: How many teams advance from the Swiss Stage? Eight of the 16 teams advance. A team needs three wins to qualify and is eliminated after three losses.
Q: Which teams represent the Asia-Pacific region? Team Secret Whales and CTBC Flying Oyster, both from the LCP, are in the Swiss Stage.
Sources: Dot Esports, DraftCoach, Sheep Esports, Inven Global, Esports.gg