Mid-Season Invitational 2026 Bracket Stage is Set

Following the conclusion of the League of Legends Mid-Season Invitational 2026 Play-In stage, the stage is set for the bracket stage, where the remaining eight teams will begin their campaign for the coveted trophy.

The MSI 2026 Play-In stage concluded on Wednesday, July 1, when T1 defeated Team Liquid in the final game and booked their spot in the bracket stage.

With T1 securing the final spot in the main event, the MSI bracket stage has taken its final form, completing the seeding of the eight teams into the double-elimination bracket.

Due to the rule preventing same-region teams from clashing in the opening round of the bracket stage, one pairing was already known before the Play-In stage began, with G2 Esports confirmed to face Top Esports.

The remaining three pairings remained a mystery until Wednesday, when T1 defeated Team Liquid and booked a clash with Bilibili Gaming.

This left LYON, FURIA, Team Secret Whales, and Hanwha Life Esports in the draw, with LYON paired with their southern neighbours and Team Secret Whales handed the tough task of facing current LoL Champions Korea champions Hanwha Life Esports.

The bracket stage draw produced several interesting games, with all but one clash, between Hanwha Life Esports and Secret Whales, promising competitive affairs.

The stage will start on July 3, when European champions G2 Esports clash with a familiar foe in Top Esports, who placed second in League of Legends Pro League Split 2.

The two teams last met in the League of Legends World Championship quarterfinals last season, when Top Esports won 3-1 and eliminated G2 Esports from their first Worlds playoff appearance since 2020.

The second day of the bracket stage will see LYON take on FURIA, with the two teams facing each other for the first time. While that promises to be an entertaining game, all eyes will be on the final match of the opening round between T1 and Bilibili Gaming.

Billed as two of the strongest teams attending MSI, T1 and Bilibili Gaming will face off in what many expected to be a grand final-level matchup, with both teams showing exceptional form ahead of the international event.

Of the two, BLG have been more successful this season, having already won LPL Split 1 and Split 2, as well as the First Stand tournament.

However, victory on Saturday will not come easy for the Chinese titans, who have historically struggled against T1, having been beaten by the Korean team at MSI 2025, the LoL Worlds 2024 grand final, and the 2024 Esports World Cup.

The top-rated League of Legends betting sites have already opened markets for the first four games of the MSI bracket stage, pricing Hanwha Life Esports, Top Esports, LYON, and T1 as favourites to come out ahead.

MSI 2026 bracket stage games

• Hanwha Life Esports -20000 vs Team Secret Whales +1600 – Friday, July 3, 12:00 KST
• G2 Esports +100 vs Top Esports -138.89 – Friday, July 3, 17:00 KST
• LYON -250 vs FURIA +175 – Saturday, July 4, 12:00 KST
• Bilibili Gaming +120 vs T1 -163.93 – Saturday, July 4, 17:00 KST

Mark Prezelj

Esports Betting Analyst

Mark Prezelj is a Slovenian esports betting analyst with over 3,500 articles at EsportBet and the founder of Lines64.com — someone who has been reading odds longer than most readers have been watching esports.

View full profile →