LCK starts with a powerhouse move, as Faker faces a decisive battle! Can the two rogue ninjas join forces to reclaim their former glory?

Greetings to all LPL viewers and League of Legends summoners, this is Tianxia Game Hub.

With the arrival of 2026, LOL is about to embark on a new season journey. Previously, the LPL disclosed its new season format and pre-season schedule, and yesterday, the LCK region also revealed its schedule for the upcoming season.

The LCK format is different from the LPL’s; they will maintain the group stage system used in the first split last year.

LCK groupings finalized, with the addition of a Super Week

Unlike the LPL, which places different teams into separate groups for intra-group round robins, the LCK’s first split format divides 10 teams into two groups that compete against teams outside their group. Teams within the same group are essentially allies. The grouping method allows the top two teams from last season to pick their groups first. During the draft ceremony, GEN chose T1 as their group partner.

On the HLE side, they selected DK. Following a snake draft format, DK had the priority pick and chose themselves.

Subsequently, T1 picked NS, NS selected DNS, and so on. The final groups are as follows: Dragon Group includes GEN, T1, NS, DNS, and BRO; Elder Dragon Group includes HLE, DK, KT, BFX, and DRX.

The format features cross-group round robins in a BO3 setting. Teams do not play within their own group but face five matches against the other group’s teams. The group with the highest points forms the Winners’ Group, while the lower scoring group becomes the Losers’ Group. The last place team in the Losers’ Group is eliminated immediately.

Then, the 3rd to 5th place teams from the Winners’ Group face the 2nd to 4th place teams from the Losers’ Group in a double-elimination playoff to determine two advancing teams. Additionally, the LCK introduced a Super Week this season to enhance the excitement of the competition.

Starting strong, T1 faces a decisive showdown

The Super Week occurs in the third week of the group stage, where teams with the same seed from each group compete in BO5 matches. Winners during Super Week earn two match points, while victories in regular BO3 games grant one point.

With the introduction of Super Week, the suspense in the LCK group stage is expected to be greater than last year.

Meanwhile, the official LCK schedule has been released, promising a blockbuster start. The season begins on the 14th, and by the 16th, a "cleansing battle" will take place—referred to by the LPL as the "Ninja War," featuring T1 versus HLE.

The two rogue ninja players, Zeus and Gumayusi, will unite to challenge Faker. The teams met twice at last year’s K Cup, with T1 delivering a stronger performance on the critical final stage, defeating their opponents.

However, it’s worth noting that in last year’s first split, Zeus-led HLE dealt a significant blow to T1 by winning the qualifiers 3-2, knocking T1 out at the quarterfinals. The question remains whether HLE can recreate that early split glory this year.

Qualifiers now offer more margin for error, reducing randomness

Besides the T1 vs. HLE match, another key encounter between GEN and KT is scheduled for the 17th. These two matches are among the most anticipated since the LCK season opener.

Putting the schedule aside, I believe the most critical aspect this year is the LCK’s format changes. The group stage format from last year had certain flaws.

Firstly, the LCK’s group stage format involves cross-group competition with considerable randomness, focusing on overall group records. The previous system heavily favored the Winners’ Group, where the top three from Winners and the first from Losers advanced directly to playoffs. This year, only the top two from Winners and the first from Losers earn direct playoff spots.

Additionally, the qualifiers now use a double-elimination format with BO3 and BO5 matches, increasing the tolerance for mistakes and reducing randomness in the competition.

Last year, T1 ranked second in the Losers’ Group but faced a sudden death match in the qualifiers. Although HLE was underperforming during the group stage, they surged in form against T1, beating them in a grueling five-game series and eliminating T1. Given T1’s competitive level last year, they had the strength to reach playoffs but fell victim to the old format. With this year’s changes, fans can look forward to seeing how T1 will perform in the league.