WSCI 2026 to open in South Korea on September 20
Riot Games and TJ Sports will host the World Star Challengers Invitational (WSCI) from September 20 to October 2, 2026. The tournament, described as a second-tier League of Legends World Championship, will feature 16 teams from Asia, Europe, and North America.
According to foreign media reports, the event is likely to be held in South Korea. The competition format is a double round-robin, with the top two teams advancing to a knockout stage. Prize money and other specific details will be announced later.
Participating teams qualified through regional qualifiers, with three teams from each region. From the LCKCL, the top three teams will compete, while Dplus KIA Challengers secured a spot as the Asian Masters champion. The Chinese qualifiers include BLG Junior, EDG Young, and ZSK. In Europe, Solari (EMEA Winter champions, featuring "Piero" Kim Jun-hoon), Gallion, and the Summer champion are expected to participate. Saigon Warriors represent the VCS, and ViBo Kid Stars Academy represents North America.
Riot Games stated that this year's WSCI will serve as a pilot case for what an international second-tier tournament can look like. The company aims to understand how such events can effectively support player development, strengthen bonds between regional ecosystems, and create new opportunities for players and teams to grow, compete, and prove their skills.