League of Legends First Stand 2026: teams, format, schedule and more

The 2026 international League of Legends esports season kicks off with First Stand next week.

For many teams, the tournament provides an early opportunity to make a global statement while gaining significant benefits for their region ahead of MSI 2026 later this year. But for fans, keeping up with all the big spots before international events can be hectic.

From qualifying teams and tournament format to schedules and how fans can watch the action live, here’s everything you need to know about League of Legends First Stand 2026.

First Stand, now in its second year, will run from March 16 to March 22 2026, in São Paulo, Brazil.

Games will be in the game Riot Games Arena São Pauloa venue often used for League of Legends regional tournaments. As such, the site has recently been criticized by fans for its capacity.

The Group Stage will last four days, followed by the Knockout Stage starting on March 21st. All game days will start at 2pm GMT. The tournament will conclude with the Grand Final on March 22, which will also start at 2 pm GMT.

Alongside the championship game, Riot Games also hosts the Runeterra Fan Fest in São Paulo, where fans can watch the finals together and participate in community activities related to Riot titles.

The sum of eight groups will compete in First Stand 2026, with representatives from all major regions in the League of Legends esports ecosystem. Many teams have been successful by winning regional winter championships, which send first-season competitors to the first international event of the year. Due to the strength of the regions, China’s LPL and South Korea’s LCK were given two seeds each.

The final participant from China’s LPL is the only team yet to be revealed. Although Bilibili Gaming has already secured a spot in the tournament, the conclusion of the LPL will determine the remaining team and seeding.

After the LPL finals are concluded, Riot Games will host an official draw show to determine the First Stand Group Stage matches.

Europe, North America, Brazil and the APAC region are represented by one group each.

Here are all the teams participating in First Stand 2026:

Among the entrants, Gen.G enters this event as one of the favorites. The team finished their LCK Cup regular season undefeated and dropped just two games during their finals run before defeating BNK FearX 3-0 in the finals. That dominant form, along with past international success, makes Gen.G the team to beat in this tournament.

Bilibili Gaming will also be a team to watch. The organization has built a reputation for strong international play in recent years, but has yet to win a world cup. With another appearance at an international event already guaranteed, First Stand could present an opportunity for BLG to finally break through – but at the same time, no team is left to be overlooked.

G2 Esports has recovered from an inconsistent start to the season with a strong playoff run in the LEC. In the LCS, LYON brought back hope among NA fans who wished for a deeper international run than last year.

Also, you can count the so-called wildcard states. Both the CBLOL and the APAC league have shown great improvement in recent international tournaments, fielding much higher teams than many expected and sometimes pulling off major upsets.

First Stand 2026 is divided into two phases, starting with the Group Phase followed by the Knockout Bracket. Every series throughout the tournament will be played as a best-of-five, creating long matches that test the teams’ adaptability and strategy.

The Group Stage takes place from March 16 to March 20. During this stage, all eight teams compete for a place in the knockout bracket. Consistency and adapting to the draft throughout most of the games will be key as teams look to move forward.

After the group matches, the Knockout Stage begins on March 21. The remaining teams will face each other in a single-elimination format, where every game carries the highest score. The tournament concludes with the grand final on March 22.

This section will be updated as the teams are decided after the LPL finals on March 7th.

Fans can watch First Stand 2026 through Riot’s official streaming channels in multiple languages.

Spectators who watch through the official LoL Esports website while logged in with their Riot account will have access to Game Drops during the tournament. Rewards include cosmetics and special emotes bundled with First Stand, including a special Evelynn emote that will drop during Last Stand.

Riot Games has also confirmed that some live streaming has been enabled for the event. Selected creators and participating teams will be able to broadcast the games to their audience, and provide additional commentary on official channels.

While Riot hasn’t detailed the full financial breakdown publicly, the tournament still holds reasonable competitive prizes. In addition to lifting the First Stand trophy, the teams will benefit from their regions heading into the Mid-Season Invitational later in the year.

Riot Games also introduced additional income opportunities during the event. A portion of the sales of the Warhounds Senna skin and associated cosmetic bundles will be shared with the teams, contributing to the wider revenue pool that supports Tier1 teams in LoL Esports.