Things You Need to Know About the First Stand 2026 Tournament

Organized by Riot Games to foster regional competition and showcase innovative strategies, the First Stand will shape the upcoming year of League of Legends esports.

What is the First Stand Tournament?

The First Stand Tournament (FST) is an international esports event that kicks off the annual League of Legends (LoL) esports season, bringing together teams from each region to compete at the start of the season. Organized by Riot Games to foster regional competition and showcase innovative strategies, the First Stand will shape the upcoming LoL esports season. Teams not only compete for the First Stand trophy but also for a favorable seeding position for their region at the next international LoL esports event, the Mid-Season Invitational (MSI).

When and where will the First Stand take place?

The First Stand Tournament will take place from March 16th to March 22nd at the Riot Games Arena in São Paulo, Brazil.

• Group Stage (March 16 - March 20): 20:00 (Vietnam time)
• Knockout Round (March 21): 8:00 PM (Vietnam time)
• Knockout Round - Finals (March 22): 8:00 PM (Vietnam time)

Which teams will participate?

The following teams have earned a spot in First Stand 2026:

KOREAN REGION - LCK

• Gen.G (GEN)
• BNK FEARX (BFX)

EUROPE AREA - LEC

• G2 ESPORTS (G2)

NORTH AMERICA REGION - LCS

• LYON (LYON)

ASIA-PACIFIC REGION - LCP

• TEAM SECRET WHALES (TSW)

BRAZIL AREA (HOST) - CBLOL

• LOUD (LOUD)

CHINA REGION - LPL

The two teams will be determined after March 7th.

Be sure to tune in to the First Stand Draw after the LPL Stage 1 Finals conclude on March 7th!

What is the format of the First Stand competition?

The First Stand 2026 tournament consists of two rounds: the Group Stage and the Knockout Stage. All matches are played in a Best-of-5 format, ensuring deeper adaptation, more exciting moments, and showcasing regional identity as well as the brilliance of talented individuals at the start of the season.

Support the Teams with Senna the War Dog Outfit!

From March 18th to April 15th, Riot Games will be sharing a portion of the revenue from the Senna War Dog skin and related skin/chroma bundles with League of Legends Esports teams! Fans can purchase the Senna War Dog skin in-game as a standalone skin, a frame bundle, or chroma bundles (also sold separately).

Co-Stream

Co-streaming is back at First Stand 2026! This year, Riot Games is excited to bring venue co-streaming to FST, featuring live participation and co-streaming from local talents throughout the event's rounds. All participating professional League of Legends teams are invited to host official team co-streams throughout First Stand 2026, enhancing the viewing experience for their fan communities.

Riot is also pleased to bring back the Co-Streamer Information Page powered by Opera GX, an interactive link showcasing all official co-stream channels, with filter options by preferred language. The full list of co-streamers will be announced on March 11th.