Europe’s hopes have been crushed.
claimed a 3–1 victory over in the grand final of the First Stand this Sunday, March 22, in São Paulo. This marks their first-ever international title, a long-awaited triumph that restores prestige to what’s been the most consistent Chinese organization in recent years. BLG had previously fallen short in two international finals: the Worlds 2023 final against T1 (2–3) and the MSI 2024 final against Gen.G (1–3). This victory also ends the LPL’s international title drought since MSI 2023, when JD Gaming took home the trophy, ironically by defeating BLG 3–1.
, who
rejoined BLG earlier this year, has now lifted two trophies in quick succession. Meanwhile,
—
another major offseason signing—becomes the only player to have won two First Stand titles, following
his triumph with Hanwha Life Esports in 2025. It’s the second international title for
(MSI 2023) and
(MSI 2022) as well.
With this loss, G2 becomes the first organization ever to lose a final in all three major international competitions: Worlds 2019 (0–3 vs. FunPlus Phoenix), MSI 2017 (1–3 vs. T1), and now the First Stand 2026. For Europe, it’s another déjà vu as the region once again falls in the First Stand grand final against an Asian team.
One step ahead
The eighth-ever series between BLG and G2 once again went the way of the Chinese side. The beating wasn’t quite as brutal as in
their first meeting during this tournament (3–0), but the illusion of G2’s strong form lasted only one game. Despite a solid win in Game 1, the Samurai were completely suffocated for the rest of the series.
The opener was close, with both junglers dictating the pace and acting as difference-makers in skirmishes throughout the early and mid game. Objectives went back and forth until G2 began to hesitate, playing timidly against a BLG side ramping up the tempo. Around the 38-minute mark, after a chaotic Baron Nashor fight, G2 managed to pull ahead thanks to sharper teamfighting and better sustain. A stellar performance from
on Aurora handed Bin’s Gnar its first loss of 2026 (previously 8–0 in 9 games).
In Game 2, a well-crafted BLG draft allowed Gwen to snowball quickly, while the Chinese bot lane dominated the 2v2 matchup. G2 lacked damage and quickly collapsed. Series tied. Game 3 was a stomp from start to finish: three winning lanes for the LPL champions and a Xin Zhao in ideal matchups against two ranged carries. The Europeans had few realistic win conditions, and BLG delivered a clean victory to take the series lead.
Game 4 brought an abrupt end to the match. Finishing under 30 minutes, BLG seemed briefly pressured by G2’s early aggression, but a stolen Nashor completely changed the pace. Despite being momentarily outnumbered, BLG pushed forward, found the decisive pick in G2’s jungle, and closed the game through bot lane. The LPL sends a powerful message to the world: China is back on top of international League of Legends.
Eyes on the next rendez-vous
During the post-victory press conference,
evoked his happiness to win his first international title. Meanwhile, the rest of the players appeared calm and composed. Each of them expressed their excitement to compete at this year’s MSI and Worlds—clear primary goals for the organization moving forward.
Bin was named MVP of the grand final, while he and his teammates showed only mild relief after claiming a title that felt almost routine. Their focus is already on the bigger tournaments ahead, treating this win without much visible excitement. It’s probably the price you pay after coming so close to winning Worlds against T1 back in 2024.
Speaking on OTP’s broadcast, Romain Bigeard explained that BLG played more aggressively, more explosively than them. They created great plays and drafted exceptionally well, which he highlighted as the key factor. “It’s so much harder than against Gen.G,” he said humbly, with a hint of disappointment. In his eyes, there’s no doubt: “Bilibili Gaming is the best team in the world.”
