LCK Cup 2026: Complete Guide to Format and Schedule

Fahad Umar
January 6, 2026
10:36 am

Published: Jan 6, 2026

Riot Games has unveiled the full details for the LCK Cup 2026, kicking off the competitive League of Legends season in Korea. This tournament follows the LCK 2026 Season Opening exhibition, the two finalists will secure spots at the First Stand, the year’s first international event, where LCK and LPL now share two slots instead of one.

Tournament Groups

All 10 LCK teams are split into two groups which will be Baron and Elder following the official draw:

Group Baron:

Gen.G
T1
Nongshim Redforce
DN SOOPers
HANJIN BRION

Group Elder:

Hanwha Life Esports
Dplus KIA
KT Rolster
BNK FEARX
DRX

Competition Format

The event features a unique group stage followed by playoffs:

Group Stage (Weeks 1-3): Single round robin best of three matches between teams from opposing groups. Week 3 includes a “Super Week” with best of five games, awarding double points to winners.
The group with the most points becomes the Winners Group (top two teams advance directly to playoffs).
The other is the Losers Group (top team advances, bottom team eliminated).
Remaining teams enter a Play-In bracket, top three advance.
Playoffs: Full double elimination format from Playoff Round 1, all Bo5 matches. Finalists qualify for First Stand.

Additional rules include Hard Fearless Draft throughout.

Introducing Coach Comms

Building on last year’s Fearless Draft success, Riot is testing Coach Comms a game changing feature allowing coaches to speak directly to players mid match. It’s optional for teams (decided pre match) and limited to the LCK Cup and Regular Season.

Key Rules:

Up to 3 activations per game, each 45 seconds long.
No game pause during comms.
One nominated coach only (viewable via team only player POV; no spectator or enemy info).
Coach must stay in a designated area with no external devices.
Comms not broadcast to viewers for competitive integrity.

I think this is going to be a really interesting addition to the game, and allow the coaches even more influence over the game. It’s pretty frequently utilized in other Esports so I’m excited to see how this plays out https://t.co/s5OqoCFVt3

— Bluepanda (@bluepanda_casts) December 3, 2025

Full Opening Round Schedule

The LCK Cup runs from January 14 to March 1.

Here’s the packed Week 1 slate:

Jan 14 (Wed): KT Rolster vs DN SOOPers | Dplus KIA vs BRION
Jan 15 (Thu): Gen.G vs DRX | BNK FEARX vs Nongshim Redforce
Jan 16 (Fri): DN SOOPers vs Dplus KIA | Hanwha Life Esports vs T1
Jan 17 (Sat): BRION vs BNK FEARX | Gen.G vs KT Rolster
Jan 18 (Sun): Nongshim Redforce vs Hanwha Life | DRX vs T1
Jan 21 (Wed): Dplus KIA vs Nongshim Redforce | DRX vs DN SOOPers
Jan 22 (Thu): BRION vs Hanwha Life | BNK FEARX vs Gen.G
Jan 23 (Fri): KT Rolster vs T1 | Nongshim Redforce vs DRX
Jan 24 (Sat): Hanwha Life vs DN SOOPers | Dplus KIA vs Gen.G
Jan 25 (Sun): T1 vs BNK FEARX | KT Rolster vs BRION
Jan 28 (Wed): BRION vs DRX
Jan 29 (Thu): DN SOOPers vs BNK FEARX
Jan 30 (Fri): Nongshim Redforce vs KT Rolster
Jan 31 (Sat): T1 vs Dplus KIA
Feb 1 (Sun): Hanwha Life vs Gen.G

Daniel Davis

Since: October 29, 2025

Hi, I’m Dan, an experienced esports journalist and author passionate about competitive gaming and digital culture. I specialize in titles like Counter Strike, Call of Duty, League of Legends, and Valorant. I’ve documented the rise of professional esports from local tournaments to global stages. With a sharp focus on player strategy, team chemistry, and the evolving industry landscape, I deliver in depth insight into the world’s most popular competitive games.

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