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Worlds 2026 Playoffs: Bracket, Schedule, Start Times and Format
The Worlds 2026 playoffs began on November 3, bringing together eight teams in the knockout stage of the League of Legends World Championship. The tournament follows a single-elimination format, with quarterfinals, semifinals and the Grand Final all played as best-of-five series.
The knockout stage runs through November 14, when the world champions will be crowned in New York. Below is the complete playoff schedule, including semifinal matchups, start times across major regions, quarterfinal results and all eight qualified teams.
Worlds 2026 Grand Final: Teams, Date and Start Times
The Worlds 2026 Grand Final will feature Bilibili Gaming vs. Gen.G on Saturday, November 14, at Barclays Center in Brooklyn, New York. BLG represent China's LPL, while Gen.G represent South Korea's LCK. The best-of-five series will decide the 2026 League of Legends world champions.
The final begins at 11 AM PST / 1 PM CST / 2 PM EST / 7 PM GMT / 8 PM CET. See the full start-time breakdown by region below.
| Time Zone | Nov 14 Grand Final |
|---|---|
| Pacific (PST) | 11 AM |
| Central US (CST) | 1 PM |
| Eastern (EST) | 2 PM |
| Brazil (BRT) | 4 PM |
| UK (GMT) | 7 PM |
| Central Europe (CET) | 8 PM |
| China (UTC+8) | 3 AM (+1 day) |
| South Korea (KST) | 4 AM (+1 day) |
In China and South Korea, the final begins on Sunday, November 15, due to the time difference.
Worlds 2026 Semifinal Results: All Matches and Scores
The Worlds 2026 semifinals took place on November 7 and 8, with Gen.G and Bilibili Gaming securing the two spots in the Grand Final. T1 and Invictus Gaming were eliminated.
| Date | Semifinal Result |
|---|---|
| Nov 7 | Gen.G 3-0 Invictus Gaming |
| Nov 8 | Bilibili Gaming 3-1 T1 |
BLG's victory ended T1's run of four consecutive Worlds final appearances, including three straight titles from 2023 to 2025.
Worlds 2026 Quarterfinal Results: All Matches and Scores
The Worlds 2026 quarterfinals took place from November 3 to 6, with one best-of-five series each day. Four teams advanced to the semifinals, while the other four were eliminated from the tournament.
Here are the complete quarterfinal results:
| Date | Quarterfinal Result |
|---|---|
| Nov 3 | Invictus Gaming 3-1 Top Esports |
| Nov 4 | Gen.G 3-0 LYON |
| Nov 5 | Bilibili Gaming 3-0 Dplus KIA |
| Nov 6 | T1 3-1 Karmine Corp |
Which Teams Qualified for the Worlds 2026 Playoffs?
Eight teams qualified for the Worlds 2026 knockout stage. The LCK (South Korea) and LPL (China) had three representatives each, while the LEC (Europe) and LCS (North America) had one apiece.
Here are all eight qualified teams and their final Swiss Stage records:
- Dplus KIA (LCK): 3-0
- Gen.G (LCK): 3-0
- T1 (LCK): 3-1
- Invictus Gaming (LPL): 3-1
- Top Esports (LPL): 3-1
- Bilibili Gaming (LPL): 3-2
- Karmine Corp (LEC): 3-2
- LYON (LCS): 3-2
Dplus KIA and Gen.G were the first teams to qualify, finishing the Swiss Stage undefeated with 3-0 records. LYON, Bilibili Gaming and Karmine Corp claimed the final three playoff spots after winning their elimination matches in the fifth round.
How Does the Worlds 2026 Playoff Format Work?
The Worlds 2026 playoffs use an eight-team single-elimination bracket, consisting of quarterfinals, semifinals and the Grand Final. Every matchup is a best-of-five (Bo5), meaning the first team to win three games wins the series.
Unlike a double-elimination tournament, there is no lower bracket. A single series loss eliminates a team from Worlds 2026.
The knockout stage also uses Fearless Draft. Under this format, champions picked in previous games of a series become unavailable to both teams for the remainder of that same series. This means teams must adapt their champion selections throughout a Bo5.
Where Are the Worlds 2026 Knockout Matches Being Played?
The Worlds 2026 quarterfinals were held at the Credit Union of Texas Event Center in Allen, Texas, United States, from November 3 to 6. The venue also hosted the semifinals on November 7 and 8.
The Grand Final takes place on November 14 at Barclays Center in Brooklyn, New York, where Bilibili Gaming and Gen.G will compete for the World Championship title.
Where Can You Watch the Worlds 2026 Grand Final Live?
The Worlds 2026 Grand Final will be streamed for free through official LoL Esports channels. Fans can watch on the Riot Games Twitch channel, the LoL Esports website and the official LoL Esports YouTube channel.
Authorized content creators will also host co-streams in multiple languages. For additional viewing options, check Strafe's Worlds 2026 official streams and co-streamers guide.
Follow Strafe's full Worlds 2026 coverage for the match schedule, results, participating teams, and more from the League of Legends World Championship.
Follow Strafe Esports for the latest League of Legends news, and check out our X account for more updates and coverage. You can also visit the Strafe YouTube channel for exclusive interviews, press conferences, and more.
Featured image credit: Riot Games
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