First Stand 2026: Gen.G in full control, the lion roars not that loud

Tuesday, March 17, marked the second day of the First Stand group stage, featuring the same number of games as the opening day. Tournament favorites came out strong and dominant, delivering a convincing clean sweep over .

In the second series,

LYON

struggled heavily against their South American neighbors , eventually coming out on top in a five-game battle. Junglers were in the spotlight, with MVP honors awarded to and .

The first series was short but still had its moments. JD Gaming’s young Taiwanese prospect showed his potential with a solo kill on during game 1, but the rest of the map was firmly controlled by Gen.G. The remaining games were one-sided stomps, none going past 30 minutes, as Gen.G confirmed their status as tournament favorites.

The second series was far more contested, though it also featured shakier mechanics and some sloppy moments. LYON opened with a heavy stomp in game one. In game two, pulled out a Vayne pick, and despite falling behind, LOUD managed to equalize thanks largely to a strong Aatrox performance from .

While many expected a clean win for North America, LOUD held their ground well. Picks like Akali and Vex from didn’t always pay off, but the series delivered plenty of action in front of their home crowd, with 140 spectators witnessing the second silver scrapes of this First Stand in just four BO5s.

On Wednesday, Group A’s best-of series will take place: and will face off for a spot in the semifinals, while and will fight to stay alive in an elimination series. Thursday will feature Group B matches, starting with the elimination series where either JDG or LOUD will see their tournament run come to an end.

Gen.G will then take the stage to face LYON in a qualification match for the semifinals. LYON’s jungler, Inspired, has a well-known history against Gen.G, having found ways to challenge them in the past, notably at Worlds 2024, and will look to replicate that success.