Organizer
Tournament edition
Mid-Season Invitational 2026
The 2026 Mid-Season Invitational was held in Daejeon from June 28 to July 12. Hanwha Life Esports defeated Bilibili Gaming in the grand final.
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Updated October 18, 2026Competition snapshot
Host and dates
Daejeon Convention Center II, Daejeon, South Korea · Jun 28–Jul 12, 2026
Play-In Jun 28–Jul 1; Bracket Stage Jul 3–6 and Jul 8–12 at Daejeon Convention Center II.[2][5]
Champion
Combined prize pool
USD 2,000,000[6]
Games
Participant scale
11 teams across six regions[5]
CategoryPartnerCommercial note
Category
Organizer
Partner
Riot GamesCommercial note
Tournament organizer · Recorded in the 2026 edition.[2]
Category
Official Partner
Partner
Opera GXCommercial note
Co-Streamer Hub and Drops activations · Recorded in the 2026 edition.[1]
Category
Official Partner
Partner
SecretlabCommercial note
Drops activations · Recorded in the 2026 edition.[1]
Category
Official Partner
Partner
CoinbaseCommercial note
Drops activations · Recorded in the 2026 edition.[1]
Category
Official Partner
Partner
Amazon Web ServicesCommercial note
Pick'Ems and Crystal Ball technology partner · Recorded in the 2026 edition.[1]
Category
Official Partner
Partner
Red BullCommercial note
Fan Festa experience activation · Recorded in the 2026 edition.[1]
Category
Official Partner
Partner
SOOPCommercial note
Fan Festa streaming experience activation · Recorded in the 2026 edition.[1]
Reach & distribution
PTG Database Analysis
The 2026 Mid-Season Invitational ran June 28–July 12 at Daejeon Convention Center II in Daejeon. The Play-In ran June 28–July 1, and the eight-team double-elimination Bracket Stage ran July 3–6 and July 8–12. Hanwha Life Esports defeated Bilibili Gaming 3–2 in the final.[2][4][5]
The 11 participants were Bilibili Gaming, Top Esports, Hanwha Life Esports, T1, G2 Esports, Karmine Corp, LYON, Team Liquid Alienware, Team Secret Whales, Revolve Deep Cross Gaming and FURIA. Riot also documented MSI activations from Opera GX, Secretlab, Coinbase, and AWS, plus Red Bull and SOOP/CHZZK Fan Festa experiences.[5]
References5
- [1]MSI 2026 Primer — Riot Games / LoL Esports
- [2]MSI and Worlds Updates — Riot Games / LoL Esports
- [3]HLE vs BLG — MSI 2026 Grand Finals — LoL Esports
- [4]HLE defeat BLG 3-2 to claim MSI 2026 title after thrilling series — Dot Esports
- [5]2026 Mid-Season Invitational Event Specific Ruleset — Riot Games
Commercial opportunities
MSI Drops activations
The official MSI guide names Opera GX, Secretlab and Coinbase for special Drops activations.[5]
Pick'Ems and Crystal Ball
Co-Streamer Hub
The hub for more than 100 co-streamers was powered by Opera GX.[5]
Fan Festa experiences
The guide lists Red Bull and SOOP/CHZZK experiences alongside team booths, creator appearances and other activities.[5]
Tournament schedule
- Grand Final
Hanwha Life Esports wins MSI 2026
Hanwha Life Esports defeated Bilibili Gaming 3–2 in the grand final.
- Lower Final
Bracket Stage lower final
The lower final was scheduled for July 11 in Daejeon.
- Upper Final
Bracket Stage upper final
The upper final was scheduled for July 9 in Daejeon.
- Bracket Stage
Eight-team Bracket Stage begins
The double-elimination Bracket Stage ran July 3–6 and July 8–12, with no matches scheduled for July 7.
- Play In
MSI Play-In Stage begins
Four teams began the double-elimination Play-In; one advanced to the Bracket Stage.
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