Bilibili Gaming produced one of the biggest upsets of MSI 2026 on July 4, beating T1 3-2 at the Daejeon Convention Center in the opening Upper Bracket clash of the Bracket Stage. It was a rematch of the MSI 2025 final, which the Koreans had swept 3-0 — but this time the script flipped.
A back-and-forth series that went the distance
Undefeated since the start of the tournament and heavy favorites after a flawless Play-In run, T1 ran into a Chinese squad carried by solo laners Bin and Knight. The series went all the way to a decisive Game 5, played under Fearless Draft rules like the rest of the Bracket Stage.
The missed Baron that sealed the series
In Game 5, BLG got off to a fast start, taking down Oner's Trundle through Xun's Kindred, Viper's Ashe, and On's Seraphine, before securing two dragon stacks. BLG then caught Faker's Taliyah in the mid lane. T1 answered by going for Baron, using Taliyah's ultimate to block the pit, but couldn't deal enough damage to finish the objective in time. BLG collapsed on them from behind, secured Baron, and wiped four members of T1, leaving only Taliyah alive.
T1 to the lower bracket, BLG advances to face LYON
The loss sends T1 to the lower bracket, where the Koreans will face FURIA on July 6 to stay alive on the road to the July 12 Grand Final. Bilibili Gaming, meanwhile, continues its Upper Bracket run against LYON, with a spot in the Upper Bracket final on the line.
A year after being swept by T1 in the final, BLG gets its revenge in the very first round, sending MSI 2026's biggest favorite to the lower bracket.