League of Legends Americas Cup 2026 Format and Schedule Revealed
•February 19, 2026
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Why It Matters
The Cup creates a direct competitive bridge between North and South America and offers a high‑stakes pathway to MSI preparation, elevating the regional esports ecosystem.
Key Takeaways
- •Event runs March 4‑8 in São Paulo.
- •Features LCS #2/#3 vs CBLOL #2/#3.
- •Double‑elimination, Bo3 opening, Bo5 thereafter.
- •Winner earns funded MSI bootcamp in Korea.
- •Tickets via Eventim; streams on Twitch and YouTube.
Pulse Analysis
Riot Games’ decision to launch the Americas Cup reflects a broader strategy to tighten the competitive link between the North and South American League of Legends scenes. By positioning the event a week before First Stand, Riot aims to generate early‑season momentum and give fans a high‑profile showdown that complements existing league structures. The São Paulo venue also signals Riot’s intent to deepen its presence in Brazil, a market that has shown rapid growth in viewership and sponsorship interest over the past few years.
The tournament’s format—double‑elimination with best‑of‑three opening rounds and best‑of‑five thereafter—balances excitement with fairness, ensuring that a single upset does not eliminate a strong contender. Including the second and third‑place teams from both LCS Lock‑In and CBLOL Cup adds depth to the field, while the Fearless Draft system standardizes champion selection across series. The most compelling incentive is the fully funded two‑week bootcamp at the Mid‑Season Invitational, granting the winner elite training resources in South Korea and a direct competitive edge heading into MSI.
From a business perspective, the Americas Cup expands the esports calendar, offering additional ticket revenue, sponsorship slots, and advertising inventory. Live audience attendance, combined with global streaming on Twitch and YouTube, provides brands with multi‑platform exposure to a highly engaged demographic. As regional leagues continue to mature, the Cup could become a pivotal qualifier for future international events, reinforcing Riot’s ecosystem and encouraging investment from advertisers seeking to tap into the burgeoning Latin American esports market.
League of Legends Americas Cup 2026 format and schedule revealed
Image Credits: Riot Games
Riot Games has announced the schedule and format for its newly introduced League of Legends Americas Cup.
Taking place from March 4th to 8th in São Paulo, the event will feature two teams from both the LCS and CBLOL competitions that failed to qualify for First Stand.
Keep Reading
The 2026 Americas Cup will be held a week before First Stand. According to Riot Games, it is designed to ‘set the tone’ for the early season as well as create direct competition between North and South America.
While the list of participating teams is yet to be decided, here is how organisations will qualify for the event, along with the details on its format.
League of Legends Americas Cup Teams and Structure
The inaugural edition of the LoL Americas Cup will feature the second and third-place teams from LCS Lock-In and the CBLOL Cup.
These squads will be placed into a double-elimination bracket, battling in best-of-three matches in Upper Bracket Round 1 and a best-of-five series for the rest of the tournament.
Image Credits: Riot Games
Teams from the same region will not face each other in the opening games, which are as follows:
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Match 1: LCS #2 vs CBLOL #3
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Match 2: LCS #3 vs CBLOL #2
Fearless Draft will be used across all series, and fans can check out the match timings below:
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March 4th to 6th at 9 PM GMT
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March 7th and 8th at 7 PM GMT
Winner Gets Fully Funded Bootcamp During MSI 2026
The winner of the 2026 Americas Cup will receive fully funded two-week bootcamp training during the Mid-Season Invitational, taking place in South Korea. Apart from this, other teams that will be getting the same benefit this season include:
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The third-place LCS team from LCS Spring Split
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The second and third-place teams from CBLOL Split 1
If an organisation qualifies for MSI through multiple pathways, the next highest-ranked team will get the bootcamp slot.
How to Watch the Americas Cup 2026?
The tournament will host a live audience, with its tickets available via EVENTIM’s official website from February 19th at 4 PM GMT. However, fans can also catch the action live on LoL Esports’ Twitch and YouTube channels.
The post League of Legends Americas Cup 2026 format and schedule revealed appeared first on Esports Insider.
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