The 2026 Mid-Season Invitational (MSI) play-in stage has concluded, with LCK second seed T1 confirming their spot in the bracket stage. T1 tore through the competition with a flawless performance, not dropping a single set along the way.

T1 opened their campaign with a 3-0 clean sweep against LCS second seed Team Liquid Alienware (TLAW). While T1 looked shaky during the second set and nearly faced defeat against a spirited counter-attack, they turned the tables in the late game with superior team fighting to overcome the gold deficit. Riding that momentum, T1 then demolished LEC second seed Karmine Corp (KC) with another 3-0 victory to reach the final qualifying match.

After clawing their way back from the brink by defeating Deep Cross Gaming (DCG) and KC, TLAW met T1 once more in the final qualifying match. Although T1 struggled significantly in the early-to-mid game of the second set, the performance of Choi 'Doran' Hyeon-jun on Jayce swung the momentum back in their favor. In the subsequent third set, Kim 'Peyz' Su-hwan secured a spectacular pentakill on Zeri, sealing another 3-0 victory and booking T1's ticket to the bracket stage.

With the play-in stage now in the rearview mirror, the bracket stage featuring eight teams kicks off on July 3. The draw has pitted LCK first seed Hanwha Life Esports (HLE) against LCP first seed Team Secret Whales (TSW) in the opening match on the 3rd. Meanwhile, T1 is set to face LPL's Bilibili Gaming (BLG) in the second match on the 4th.

Elsewhere, the bracket features a clash between G2 and Top Esports (TES). CBLOL's FURIA (FUR) will take on LCS first seed Lyon (LYON) in a battle for regional bragging rights across the Americas.