First Stand 2026 Power Ranking

In just a few hours, the first international League of Legends tournament of the season will officially begin, bringing together the champions of the major regions along with the finalists from LCK and LPL. With three additional teams compared to last year, the First Stand 2026 promises a week of high-level competition and spectacle.

As Hanwha Life Esports’ successor is yet to be determined, one clear favorite emerges among the contenders. However, the remaining teams remain close behind, all ready to seize any opportunity to produce an international upset. Ahead of the opening match of the tournament this Monday, Sheep Esports presents its Power Ranking of the teams competing in the event.

Unsurprisingly, top our ranking after delivering performances fully in line with expectations for this roster since the start of the season. Retaining the same lineup that dominated much of last year, GEN.G overwhelmed the competition during the LCK Cup and now head to the international stage once again carrying the label of clear favorites. Having also reclaimed the Number 1 position in Riot Games’ Global Power Ranking, the question now becomes whether any team—if such a challenger exists—can truly trouble the LCK’s current powerhouse.

Despite a somewhat hesitant start to the split, arrive on the international stage displaying their strongest form since the 2024 World Championship. Dominant LPL champions following the additions of and to the lineup—complemented by veterans returning to form—BLG appear closer than ever to reasserting themselves internationally. While they may still face a daunting challenge in confronting GEN.G, several players may well carry the memory of the 2024 MSI final as added motivation for a potential rematch.

Returning to international competition for the first time since 2023—the year they came close to completing the Golden Road— enter the event as a credible outsider. After notable victories over Anyone’s Legends and Weibo Gaming, JDG have re-established themselves among the LPL’s elite thanks to key offseason reinforcements, most notably the former CTBC Flying Oyster jungle–mid duo and , alongside the influence of head coach Wong “Tabe” Pak-kan, long renowned for guiding teams to strong international showings. Having fallen to BLG in the domestic final, they will now seek both redemption and the opportunity to surprise the rest of the field.

Setting aside the 2025 Asia Invitational, are effectively making their first major international appearance as the LCK’s second seed—an achievement already notable in itself. After defeating teams such as T1 and Dplus Kia during their run, FEARX ultimately suffered a heavy defeat to GEN.G in the final, yet that outcome does little to diminish the quality of their campaign. With considerable strengths—including a bot lane led by prodigy and a jungler in outstanding form in during the LCK Cup—FEARX may yet demonstrate that their presence at this event is no coincidence.

The only Western representative to reach the quarterfinals of last Worlds, return to international play with the same roster for this First Stand. Like several of their competitors, G2 required time to find their rhythm during the LEC Versus. Once momentum shifted in their favor, however, few teams were able to seriously challenge the perennial European champions on their path to the title. Among the team’s many strengths, while the quality of requires little introduction, particular attention may also turn to , who could establish himself among the world’s most influential junglers during this tournament.

will participate in their first international event as representatives of the LCS. After making four roster changes during the offseason—including the arrivals of multiple-time league champions and —the team initially required time to find its footing before ultimately dominating the competition en route to the season’s first title. Following disappointment at the previous World Championship and the end of FlyQuest’s regional dominance, LYON will seek both to uphold the region’s reputation and to demonstrate the team’s potential on the global stage.

In their second year competing in the LCP, have claimed a crown previously held exclusively by CTBC Flying Oyster last season. After finishing the 2025 World Championship with a 1–3 record and undergoing a support change during the offseason—replacing with —the team nevertheless maintained their standing throughout Split 1. First in the regular season and composed throughout the playoffs, culminating in a 3–0 victory over in the grand final, TSW now enter the tournament under the challenging expectation of succeeding CFO’s international legacy. They will need to rise to the occasion in order to represent their region convincingly.

The Brazilians returns to international competition for the first time since MSI 2024. Although initially struggled during the CBLOL regular season, the team subsequently went undefeated through the remainder of the split, closing their campaign with two emphatic victories over to secure the title. While they enter the event as clear underdogs against opponents from the world’s strongest regions, LOUD benefit from one key advantage: playing on home soil. Backed by the passionate support of their home crowd, they may yet attempt to engineer a historic upset against teams from the major leagues.