The LPL 2026 Split 3 — the Worlds qualification split — is set to begin with 12 teams. Oh My God (OMG) and Ultra Prime (UP) will not be participating: both organizations finished at the bottom of the Split 2 standings and have been excluded from the final phase of the season, which determines China's representatives at the 2026 World Championship.
BLG: Triple Champions and Heavy Favorites
Bilibili Gaming enters Split 3 as three-time consecutive LPL champions. After sweeping Top Esports 3-0 in the Split 2 Grand Final on June 14, BLG — featuring Bin (top), Xun (jungle), Knight (mid), Viper (ADC), and ON (support) — stands as the undisputed benchmark of the Chinese competitive scene. The squad is also competing at MSI 2026 in Daejeon from June 28 to July 12, making them the most watched team heading into the second half of the season.
The 12 Teams and Format
The twelve participating teams are: Anyone's Legend (AL), Bilibili Gaming (BLG), EDward Gaming (EDG), Invictus Gaming (IG), JD Gaming (JDG), LGD Gaming (LGD), LNG Esports (LNG), Ninjas in Pyjamas (NIP), Team WE (WE), ThunderTalk Gaming (TT), Top Esports (TES), and Weibo Gaming (WBG). They will be split into Group Ascend and Group Nirvana for the regular season, followed by a best-of-five playoff bracket.
What's at Stake: Worlds 2026
The stakes are clear: the Split 3 champion is crowned LPL Season Champion and earns a direct berth to Worlds 2026. Teams that finish at the bottom of the standings risk losing their league spot for a second consecutive time. Top Esports, JD Gaming, and Weibo Gaming — all strong playoff performers in previous splits — are expected to be the main challengers to BLG for the Season Champion title.
BLG, TES, JDG, WBG: the race for Worlds 2026 is on. Split 3 will decide who carries China's flag on the world stage.