Riot Games Reveals 2026 League of Legends Esports Schedule and New Twilight’s End Cinematic

The League of Legends team shared new information about the 2026 international esports calendar along with a new cinematic created in collaboration with Fortiche. The update details host cities, tournament structures, and viewership milestones ahead of the upcoming competitive year.

Record-Breaking 2025 Season

Riot Games reported that the 2025 Worlds Play-Ins set a new record when the match between T1 and Invictus Gaming became the most-watched Play-Ins match in the competition’s history.

Riot Games stated that this milestone demonstrated the ongoing global enthusiasm for the game.

Upcoming 2026 Events

Stand Tournament

The first major event of the 2026 season, the Stand Tournament, will take place from March 16 to 22 at the Riot Games Arena in São Paulo, Brazil.

Two double-elimination groups leading into single-elimination knockout rounds.
All matches will follow the best-of-five format.
The structure aims to maintain competitive integrity across the entire bracket.

Mid-Season Invitational

The Mid-Season Invitational will return to Korea, with Daejeon hosting the event. Eleven teams will compete, starting with a Play-In Stage that advances one team into a double-elimination bracket phase.

Riot noted that the new structure provides emerging regions with a more direct path while ensuring that top-seeded teams face strong opposition.

Summary

Riot Games’ 2026 esports roadmap emphasizes global reach, refined competition formats, and renewed fan engagement through strategic tournaments and cinematic storytelling.

Inven Global — 2025-11-08