Riot Games has revealed yet another new international League of Legends tournament, the World Star Challengers Invitational (WSCI).
Last year, Riot introduced First Stand as a third major international in the LoL Esports calendar alongside MSI and Worlds.
And taking place later this year will be the first-ever Demacia Cup Global Invitational, an international tournament for teams that narrowly missed out on LoL Worlds Qualification.
WSCI will be a similar event but for the very best Tier 2 LoL teams from across all of LoL’s major regions, including EMEA Masters.
Everything We Know About LoL WSCI
Riot Games is collaborating with tournament organiser TJ Sports to run the first-ever WSCI between September 20 and October 2, 2026.
However, there are scheduling fears from fans as these dates clash with EMEA Masters Summer 2026, which is due to take place from September 21 until October 23.
WSCI will see three Tier 2 teams from China, Korea, APAC, Americas, and EMEA compete alongside the winners of the Asia Masters – a tournament between Asia’s strongest Tier 2 teams.
- Fancy yourself an esports expert? Start betting with a $20 deposit at Polymarket and receive a $50 bonus!
Riot says WSCI will use a mix of qualification pathways to determine each region’s three representatives but didn’t elaborate beyond that.
And the CBLoL has already confirmed Vivo Key Stars Academy as one of the participants.
According to Sheep Esports, other qualified teams include Solary and Galions from EMEA’s LFL, Bilibili Gaming Junior, EDward Gaming Youth Team, and ZSK of China’s LDL, and Dplus Kia Challengers from Korea’s LCK CL.
WSCI will begin with four seeded groups of four competing, with every team playing each other twice in best-of-ones.
The top two from each group will then qualify for the Knockouts and compete in a single-elimination bracket of best-of-fives to determine the champion.
Riot states that WSCI will serve as a “pilot” for future international Tier 2 competitions and claims the experience will help them understand how to best support player development.
Is WSCI a step in the right direction for improving LoL’s path to pro? Share your thoughts with us on the Insider Gaming Discord.
Meanwhile, Faker and T1 have already qualified for LoL Worlds 2026. And for even more Insider Gaming delivered directly to your inbox, sign up for our newsletter.
Comments