Riot Games Reveals 2026 League of Legends Esports Schedule and New Twilight’s End Cinematic
On Friday, Riot Games shared new information about the 2026 international League of Legends esports calendar, alongside a new cinematic developed with longtime partner Fortiche. The announcement details host cities, tournament formats, and viewership milestones ahead of the upcoming competitive season.
2025 Worlds Play-Ins Viewing Milestone
Riot Games highlighted that the 2025 Worlds Play-Ins set a record, with the T1 versus Invictus Gaming match becoming the most-watched Play-Ins game ever. Although exact numbers were not disclosed, the publisher described this achievement as evidence of enduring global interest in the esport.
Major 2026 Events and Formats
- Stand Tournament: Scheduled for March 16-22 at the Riot Games Arena in São Paulo, Brazil. The format includes two double-elimination groups advancing to single-elimination knockout rounds. All matches will be best-of-five to preserve competitive integrity.
- Mid-Season Invitational: Returning to Korea, hosted in Daejeon. Eleven teams will compete, starting with a Play-In Stage that qualifies one team to a double-elimination Bracket Stage. This setup aims to provide emerging regions with a clearer path while ensuring top-seeded teams face strong competition.
“The format is designed to give emerging regions a clearer path while ensuring top-seeded teams face rigorous competition.”
The new cinematic titled Twilight’s End accompanies these announcements, developed in collaboration with Fortiche, enhancing the esports narrative for fans worldwide.
Summary
Riot Games’ 2026 schedule focuses on competitive balance and global growth, highlighted by record-breaking viewership and strategic tournament formats supporting emerging regions.