Riot Games has officially announced the return of the First Stand Tournament for the 2026 season. The event will take place from March 16 to March 22 at the Riot Games Arena in São Paulo, Brazil. This tournament will start the global League of Legends esports season and bring together top teams from different regions.
The competition will not only decide the champion but will also influence seeding for the Mid-Season Invitational. Because of this, every match will have strong importance for teams and regions.
First Stand 2026 Tournament Schedule
The event will run for seven days with two main stages.
- The Group Stage will be played from March 16 to March 20.
- The Knockout Stage begins on March 21.
- The Grand Final will take place on March 22.
All matches will start at the same time each day.
- Match Start Time:
6 AM PDT
10 AM BRT
10 PM KST
Every match in the tournament will be played as a best-of-five series. This format focuses more on strategy and adaptation compared to shorter formats used in some earlier international events.
Tournament Format Explained
The First Stand Tournament features eight teams from six different regions. These teams will first compete in the Group Stage.
After the group matches are completed, the best teams will move into the Knockout Stage. The final match will decide the champion of the event.
Riot Games designed this tournament to test strategies early in the season. Since the event takes place soon after a major patch update, teams often experiment with new champions and tactics.
Teams Participating In First Stand 2026
Currently, six teams have been confirmed, while the final two teams from China’s LPL region will be decided after their playoffs.
Here are the teams confirmed so far.
- Korea (LCK)
Gen.G – LCK Cup 2026 Champion
BNK FearX – LCK Cup 2026 Runner Up - China (LPL)
Two teams will qualify after the LPL Split 1 playoffs conclude in early March. - Europe (LEC)
G2 Esports - Asia Pacific (LCP)
Team Secret Whales - North America (LCS)
LYON - Brazil (CBLOL)
LOUD
Many of these teams have strong international experience. For example, G2 Esports made an impressive comeback during their regional playoffs. Team Secret Whales are known for their aggressive style and previously surprised fans at the World Championship.
Gen.G are expected favorites from Korea, while BNK FearX shocked many fans by defeating strong rivals during their regional event.
Viewer Rewards And Drops
Fans watching the tournament live can also earn rewards. Players who log into LoLEsports.com with their Riot account during the broadcast will receive special drops.
During the Grand Final, viewers can unlock an exclusive Evelynn emote. Additional surprise rewards may appear during key moments of the event.
Twitch subscribers to official League of Legends esports channels will also receive benefits such as ad free viewing, special chat emotes, badges and bonus channel points.
Special Cosmetic Release
Riot Games is also planning to release a new Senna skin during the tournament period. A portion of the revenue from this cosmetic will be added to the global esports prize pool.
Some revenue generated through Twitch subscriptions will also support the global esports ecosystem and help increase prize pools for future events.
Also Read: Next Mobile Legends Update March 2026: New Hero And Naruto 2.0
