The 2026 Mid-Season Invitational brings the world's best League of Legends teams to Daejeon, South Korea from June 28 to July 12. Eleven teams — two from every major region, with one seed from CBLOL — meet in the year's first international, the mid-season measuring stick on the road to Worlds. Every series is a Bo5 with Fearless Draft, and with the regional splits just wrapped, recent form sharpens the picture — and it isn't all about reputation.
This is a form-driven preview of MSI 2026: 90-day records for the field, the format and seeding, a predicted top four, a projected bracket and a champion pick — plus how to predict every series on Pickr.
Key Takeaways
- Co-favorites: T1 (18–5, 78%) and Hanwha Life Esports (20–4, 83%) — two LCK sides, with Hanwha Life carrying the best major-region form and a bracket bye.
- Best raw record: Team Secret Whales are 13–0, though against lighter LCP competition — a genuine dark horse, not a favorite.
- In-form bye teams: G2 Esports (80%), Bilibili Gaming (79%) and FURIA (80%) all arrive hot.
- Cooling off: Top Esports — 11–9 (55%) — are the coldest of the major-region names and no lock for a deep run.
- Best home-region pick: the LCK duo, Hanwha Life and T1, in front of a Daejeon crowd.
- Biggest upset threat: Karmine Corp (72%) — LEC firepower that can punish anyone in a Bo5.
- Most likely early exit: a Play-In side that can't escape the gauntlet — Deep Cross Gaming (53%) the coldest of them.
Event Snapshot
- Name: Mid-Season Invitational 2026
- Game: League of Legends
- Organizer: Riot Games
- Dates: June 28 – July 12, 2026
- Venue: Daejeon, South Korea
- Tier: S-tier international
- Teams: 11 — two per major region, one from CBLOL
- Format: Play-In into a Bracket Stage; all matches Bo5 with Fearless Draft
Format
Region first seeds and the LPL second seed earn byes straight into the Bracket Stage. The remaining four teams open in the Play-In and must win through to join them. With every series a Bo5 under Fearless Draft — no team can re-pick a champion it has already used in the series — champion-pool depth matters as much as raw mechanics, and the deeper rosters tend to pull ahead as a series goes long.
The Field
Region first seeds and the LPL second seed earn byes; the other four open in the Play-In. Last-90-day records below add the form picture — keeping in mind LoL form is region-weighted, so an LCK record outweighs the same number out of a lighter region.
Into the Bracket Stage (byes)
- Hanwha Life Esports (LCK) — 20–4 (83%). The best major-region form in the field and a genuine title favorite.
- Bilibili Gaming (LPL) — 19–5 (79%). A perennial LPL heavyweight arriving in form.
- G2 Esports (LEC) — 12–3 (80%). The West's best hope, and hotter than its reputation suggests.
- Top Esports (LPL) — 11–9 (55%). Talented but cooling off; the question mark among the byes.
- LYON (Americas) — 9–4 (69%). Regional champions carrying the Americas banner.
- Team Secret Whales (LCP) — 13–0 (100%). Undefeated, though against lighter LCP competition.
- FURIA (CBLOL) — 8–2 (80%). Brazil's lone seed, in form and dangerous.
Play-In
Four teams begin in the Play-In gauntlet:
- T1 (LCK) — 18–5 (78%). The most storied name in the sport and a co-favorite to win it all, despite the Play-In path.
- Karmine Corp (LEC) — 13–5 (72%). A high-ceiling EU side nobody wants to draw early.
- Team Liquid (Americas) — 11–5 (69%). Battle-tested veterans aiming to escape the gauntlet.
- Deep Cross Gaming (LCP) — 8–7 (53%). The coldest side in the field, looking to make noise on the international stage.
Regional Breakdown
LCK (Korea)
Hanwha Life (83%) and T1 (78%) are the form-and-pedigree co-favorites, on home soil in Daejeon. Hanwha Life carry the best major-region record and a bracket bye; T1 bring unmatched international pedigree and remain elite even from the Play-In.
LPL (China)
Bilibili Gaming (79%) arrive in form and are a clear title threat. Top Esports (55%), by contrast, are cooling off and have work to do to justify a deep run.
LEC (EMEA)
G2 (80%) are hotter than their billing and a real top-four threat; Karmine Corp (72%) have the ceiling to topple a favorite in a Bo5.
Americas (LCS)
LYON (69%) and Team Liquid (69%) represent the Americas. Liquid's veteran core and Bo5 experience are real assets in the Play-In, while LYON's bye rewards a strong domestic season.
LCP (Asia-Pacific)
Team Secret Whales are a perfect 13–0, but against lighter regional competition; Deep Cross Gaming (53%) are the field's coldest side. A statement win over a major-region side would define either team's tournament.
CBLOL (Brazil)
FURIA (80%) fly the flag for Brazil as the lone CBLOL seed, in form and hoping to spring a surprise in the bracket.
Predicted Top 4
- T1 — elite form (78%) plus the best international pedigree in the game.
- Hanwha Life Esports — the field's best major-region form (83%) and a bracket bye.
- Bilibili Gaming — the LPL's in-form title threat (79%).
- G2 Esports — 80% and hotter than its reputation; the West's best hope.
Projected Bracket
- Semifinals: T1 vs Bilibili Gaming · Hanwha Life Esports vs G2 Esports
- Grand Final: T1 vs Hanwha Life Esports
- Champion pick: T1 — pedigree edges a razor-thin call over Hanwha Life Esports.
Best Picks & Sleeper Picks
- Best value (champion) pick: T1 — elite form and unmatched international pedigree.
- Co-favorite to back: Hanwha Life Esports — best form plus a bye; the title is genuinely open between the two.
- Upset to watch: Karmine Corp over a higher seed in a Bo5.
- Sleeper: FURIA (80%), or an undefeated Team Secret Whales springing a bracket surprise.
- Who to fade: Top Esports (55%) as a deep-run pick until they rediscover form.
Make Your MSI 2026 Predictions on Pickr
Predict every series of the Mid-Season Invitational 2026 on Pickr: call the winners, earn coins, and climb the dedicated MSI tournament leaderboard. Top finishers take home booster boxes, the exclusive Mid-Season Invitational 2026 sticker pack, and limited Champion, Finalist and Semi-Finalist title cosmetics. Lock in your Bo5 picks before each series goes live.
Mid-Season Invitational 2026 FAQ
When and where is MSI 2026?
June 28 – July 12, 2026, in Daejeon, South Korea.
Who is favored to win MSI 2026?
T1 and Hanwha Life Esports are the co-favorites — both LCK, with Hanwha Life carrying the best recent form (83%) and a bye, and T1 the elite international pedigree. Bilibili Gaming and G2 Esports are the next-best contenders.
How many teams compete?
Eleven — two from each major region, with one seed from CBLOL.
What is the format?
A Play-In into a Bracket Stage; every match is a Bo5 with Fearless Draft. Region first seeds and the LPL second seed get byes into the bracket.
Which teams start in the Play-In?
T1, Karmine Corp, Team Liquid and Deep Cross Gaming.
Where can I predict the matches?
On Pickr — predict every series, earn coins, and climb the MSI tournament leaderboard for exclusive sticker and title rewards.
