Source: Riot Games

The 2026 LCK regular season concluded its nine-week run for Rounds 1 and 2. In a final week where the top spot remained undecided until the very end, Hanwha Life Esports swept Hanjin Brion 2-0 to overtake T1 and Gen.G, clinching first place.

Riot Games, the organizer of the League of Legends Champions Korea (LCK)—the Korean professional league for League of Legends (LoL)—announced that the ninth week of the 2026 LCK regular season concluded on Sunday the 31st, following matches held from Wednesday the 27th at LoL PARK in Jongno-gu, Seoul.

Hanwha Life Esports claimed the final throne for the first and second rounds. With a 2-0 victory over Hanjin Brion on the final day of the second round, they finished the season with a 15-3 record.

By holding off T1 and Gen.G, who were chasing the top spot until the final moments, Hanwha Life Esports secured a berth in the third round of the LCK MSI representative qualifiers. T1 also finished the ninth week with a two-game winning streak, ending with a 14-4 record; while tied with Gen.G in wins and losses, T1 took second place due to a superior set point differential.

Consequently, Hanwha Life Esports and T1 will face off in the third-round No. 1 seed decider on the 12th at the Wonju DB Promy Arena. The winner will immediately secure a spot in the 2026 MSI, which will be held in Daejeon. Gen.G, finishing third, will wait in the fourth round, while fourth-place kt Rolster will begin the qualifiers from the second round at LoL PARK.

Hanjin Brion claimed the final ticket to the MSI qualifiers. After languishing at the bottom of the standings with a six-game losing streak early in the season, they staged a dramatic turnaround to finish in sixth place. Based on the final standings, a total of six teams—Hanwha Life Esports, T1, Gen.G, kt Rolster, Dplus KIA, and Hanjin Brion—will compete in the qualifiers for a chance to represent the LCK at the MSI.

Furthermore, the group assignments for the third and fourth rounds of the regular season have been finalized. The 'Legend Group,' consisting of the top five teams, includes Hanwha Life Esports, T1, Gen.G, kt Rolster, and Dplus KIA. Notably, Dplus KIA achieved the feat of joining the Legend Group for the first time since the single-season system was introduced. The bottom five teams—Hanjin Brion, BNK FEARX, Kiwoom DRX, Nongshim RedForce, and DN Supers—have been assigned to the 'Rise Group' and will engage in a fierce battle for a spot in the play-ins.

Meanwhile, T1 Supporter 'Keria' Ryu Min-seok was selected as the protagonist of the second round for 'Woori Won The Play,' which highlights the best moments of each round. Ryu led his team to victory with decisive playmaking using Neeko and Seraphine to turn the tide in matches against DN Supers and kt Rolster. Notably, Ryu's outstanding performance in the ninth week brought his career LCK assist total to 6,191, setting a new record and surpassing his teammate, mid-laner 'Faker' Lee Sang-hyeok, for the most career assists in LCK history.