First Stand 2026: Major Teams Assert Their Dominance on the First Day

The opening day of First Stand 2026 held few surprises, with both Bilibili Gaming and G2 Esports emerging victorious.

Bilibili Gaming "spends all their money on net games" against BNK FearX

The 2026 International League of Legends tournament, First Stand, officially kicked off last night with a highly exciting opening match between Bilibili Gaming (BLG) and BNK FearX (BFX) . After falling behind BLG in the first game, BFX staged an impressive comeback to take a 2-1 lead. Furthermore, young marksman Diable achieved his first Penta-Kill in his first international tournament.

However, the LPL 2026 Split 1 champions' prowess wasn't just for show. Provoked by their opponents, BLG unleashed their fury on the Foxes in game 4, with the Silver Scrapes theme song playing for the first time in Sao Paulo. Ultimately, the decisive game saw Bin and his teammates continue their destructive dominance, securing BLG's place in the 1-0 bracket. BFX's efforts proved why they were runners-up in the LCK Cup 2026, but that wasn't enough for a team with such extensive experience in the LPL.

G2 annihilated Team Secret Whales, ready to face BLG.

In the subsequent match, the game was completely one-sided in favor of the European representative. With their extensive experience and the "rejuvenation" of captain  Caps,  G2 had little difficulty against the LCP representative, Team Secret Whales (TSW). Younger players like Pun, Hizto, and Dire were completely overwhelmed. Unfortunately, TSW also had some bright spots of their own, but they couldn't convert them into a final victory.

Pun had a solo-kill with BrokenBlade, and TSW also swept G2 in the second game, along with many other dramatic back-and-forth battles. However, G2 still knew how to capitalize on their opponent's mistakes and regain control of the game, ultimately securing a 3-0 victory. With this result, G2 will have the opportunity to face BLG, a real challenge in Group A. Meanwhile, TSW will have a chance to "test their mettle" against BFX, hopefully delivering a more explosive match.

The second day of competition will feature some notable matches in Group B, as LCK's "Tiger" GEN.G faces JD Gaming, a team that has made a strong impression in the domestic league by defeating a series of other formidable opponents. Let's wait and see if Coach Tabe can neutralize the 2026 LCK Cup champions. 

The other matchup is a battle between the LCS and CBLOL regions, with LYON being a rather interesting contender. After competing under the name Rainbow7 from 2018 to 2024, the team merged with Six Karma and changed its name to LYON Gaming as it is today. On the other side, LOUD, representing the host region of the First Stand 2026 tournament, is considered a fairly evenly matched opponent. This could promise an exciting match for viewers.