First Stand recently concluded, and esports fans are already looking forward to the next international League of Legends tournament, the Mid-Season Invitational (MSI).
Riot Games recently announced new details about this year’s LoL MSI and Worlds events, and one major change has gone under the radar.
The event, which invites the top two teams from every region (apart from Brazil), will this year have a very unforgiving Play-In Stage.
Only Two 2nd Seeds Will Make the LoL MSI Main Stage
Now that Riot Games has split the Americas again into the LCS and CBLOL, the format for LoL MSI 2026 has changed slightly.
Last year, two teams were able to qualify from the LoL MSI Play-Ins: this year’s First Stand finalists, G2 Esports and Bilibili Gaming.
However, following the Americas split, Brazil’s sole representative will automatically qualify for the LoL MSI 2026 Bracket Stage.
And because of this, the 2026 Play-Ins will only allow one team to qualify for the remainder of the tournament.
Competition is going to be fierce as the second seeds from the LEC, LCK, LCS, and LCP will battle it out against each other, with only one progressing in the tournament.
Those four teams will compete in a double-elimination bracket, lasting over three rounds, to decide who will be the sole qualifier.
Meanwhile, the first seeds from every region and the second seed from LoL First Stand’s highest-ranking region will automatically start in the Bracket Stage.
Both LPL teams will skip this year’s LoL MSI Play-Ins, thanks to Bilibili Gaming’s first international title win and G2’s heroic run against LCK teams.
Suddenly, the Spring Splits for most regions just became even more intense, as it will now be even more important for a team to win their respective region.
What do you think about these MSI format changes? Let us know on the Insider Gaming Discord.
And after failing to make First Stand, all eyes will be on world champions T1 without coach kkOma to see if they can qualify for MSI.
