World Star Challengers Invitational to host Tier 2 LoL teams

Riot Games and TJ Sports announced the inaugural World Star Challengers Invitational, the first global tournament dedicated to Tier 2 League of Legends teams. The pilot event will run Sept. 20–Oct. 2, 2026, with 16 teams competing to accelerate player development and strengthen regional pathways.

Five regions will participate: China, Korea, APAC, the Americas and EMEA. Each region will supply three qualifiers through regional routes, and the 16th spot will go to the Asia Masters champion. Organizers will place teams into three seeding pools and draw groups so each group contains one team from Pool 1, one from Pool 2 and two from Pool 3. Draw rules prohibit more than two teams from the same region in a group and prevent teams from the same region in Pools 1 and 2 being drawn together.

The group stage runs Sept. 20–25. Four groups will play a double round-robin in best-of-one matches. The top two teams from each group will advance to an eight-team single-elimination bracket. The bracket stage runs Sept. 27–Oct. 2, consisting of quarterfinals, semifinals and a best-of-five final on Oct. 2. Seven series in total will determine the champion.

Riot and TJ Sports describe the WSCI as a development-focused showcase and a pilot to test how cross-regional Tier 2 competition can support player growth and regional connections before any longer-term structure is set. Matches will be broadcast through regional Tier 2 social channels, and regional co-streamers are expected to provide wider coverage.

Organizers have not released the full list of participating teams. Selection currently appears to combine regional qualification routes with direct invitations, with final invites to be decided by Riot.

For EMEA, the Invitational provides an international stage for second-tier teams while top-tier LEC teams compete at the World Championship. EMEA slots are expected to come from the LFL and other second-tier European leagues, offering players LAN and international experience ahead of the off-season and roster rebuilding.

The WSCI follows changes in Riot’s off-season calendar, including a restructured Demacia Cup that feeds into the Worlds Play-Ins in October. Riot and TJ Sports said the pilot will inform whether a repeatable, cross-regional Tier 2 event should be added to the broader competition calendar.