Worlds 2026 Play-In draw sets opening matchups

The Worlds 2026 Play-In draw has set FURIA against MVK Esports and Cloud9 Kia against Karmine Corp. The four-team stage will determine the final team to qualify for the Swiss Stage.

The draw took place on October 10 after the CBLOL 2026 Grand Final. It was random, with no seeding pots or regional restrictions. The order of the two opening series has not been confirmed.

The Play-In will use a double-elimination bracket. Teams that lose their first series will enter the lower bracket and remain in contention. A second loss will eliminate a team. Every series will be played as a best-of-five.

FURIA qualified for the Play-In after losing the CBLOL final to LOS, 3-2. LOS earned a direct place in the Swiss Stage with the victory. The Play-In winner will join the 15 teams already qualified for the Swiss Stage, which begins on October 23.

The Play-In will begin at Riot Games Arena in Los Angeles on October 15. Matches are scheduled to start at 11 a.m. PT each day through October 18. The tournament will then move to Allen, Texas, for the Swiss Stage, scheduled for October 23 to 31. The Knockout Stage will begin on November 3, and the grand final is scheduled for November 14 in Brooklyn, New York.

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