League of Legends World Championship 2026 to be held in United States across two cities

Riot Games confirms that the 2026 League of Legends World Championship will take place in Texas and New York

Riot Games has announced that the 2026 League of Legends World Championship will be held in the United States, marking the tournament’s return to North America for the first time since 2022.

The announcement was made on November 7 during the media day ahead of the 2025 Worlds Grand Final between T1 and KT Rolster.

The company confirmed that next year’s competition will take place across two American cities — Allen, Texas, and New York City.

The Play-In, Swiss Stage, and Playoffs will all be hosted in Allen, Texas, while New York City will serve as the venue for the Grand Final. This format marks a change from recent years, with Riot opting for two host cities instead of the usual three.

According to Chris Greeley, Global Head of League of Legends Esports, the decision was made to focus on larger venues capable of hosting more stages of the event under one roof.

Riot also shared details about two other major international tournaments scheduled for next season. The second edition of First Stand will take place from March 16 to 22 in São Paulo, Brazil. The tournament will expand from six to eight participating teams, with all matches played as best-of-five series.

Meanwhile, the Mid-Season Invitational 2026 will return to South Korea for the first time since 2022. The event will be held in Daejeon, with venue details and dates to be announced at a later time.

The 2025 League of Legends World Championship Grand Final, set to feature the long-standing “telecom war” between T1 and KT Rolster, concludes this weekend with teams competing for the world title and a share of the $5 million prize pool.