First Stand 2026: Date, Format, Schedule – Everything You Need to Know

First Stand 2026 is the first international League of Legends event of the year. The eight best teams from every major region will face off in São Paulo, Brazil, from March 16 to 22 at the Riot Games Arena (147 people capacity).

The competition serves as the first international event of the year, bringing together the world's best teams before the Mid-Season Invitational. The tournament offers both a championship title and seeding advantages for the upcoming MSI.

The competition will feature two stages — a Group Stage and a Knockout Stage — with all series played in best-of-five format. This structure emphasizes preparation and adaptation, giving teams an opportunity to test new strategies in a competitive setting.

As usual, all matches will be broadcast on LoLEsports.com with drops enabled for viewers logged in with a Riot ID.

Each major competitive region will send representatives. As of now, the confirmed teams are:

The LPL (China) will confirm its two qualified teams after the league finals conclude on March 7, followed by the official Draw Show for group assignments.

On March 22, the Runeterra Fan Fest will take place at the Visual Farm Gymnasium in São Paulo alongside the FST Finals. The event will include gameplay stations for other Riot titles, an artist gallery, and community activities. Entry is free on a first-come, first-served basis.

From March 18 to April 15, Riot will share a portion of the proceeds from sales of the Warhounds Senna skin and chroma bundles with participating teams.

Viewers can also access rewards through co-streams and Twitch subscriptions: