KeSPA is set to host the official kickoff ceremony for the 2026 School League on the 11th, gathering 14 schools from across the country at the Daejeon eSports Arena located in Yuseong, Daejeon.

The School League is a recurring inter-school competition built upon the eSports infrastructure established within academic institutions. This tournament was devised to ensure that students dreaming of becoming professional eSports players can grow while receiving professional training on campus without sacrificing their academic progress. Participating teams are composed of official representatives approved by each school principal.

This kickoff ceremony will take place as an official side event for the 2026 Mid Season Invitational (MSI). Participating schools include Mirae Industry Science High School and Eunpyeong Meditech High School from the Seoul region, Tongjin High School from the Gyeonggi-Incheon region, and Gyeryong Digitech High School from the Chungcheong region. From the Honam region, Mokpo Movie Middle School, Yeosu Technical High School, Korea Game Science High School, and Korea Science and Technology High School will participate, while six schools from the Yeongnam region, including Gyeongnam Electronic High School, have also joined the roster.

On the day of the kickoff, the finals for the League of Legends category of the first-semester preseason, which began on May 14, will be held. Through the semifinals held on the 4th, Eunpyeong Meditech High School and Korea Game Science High School secured their spots in the finals. The two finalists have earned tickets to the LCK Academy Series (LCK AS) main event scheduled for the second half of the year, providing a golden opportunity to test their skills on a professional development stage.

The venue will also host various side events, including a talk concert featuring Riot Games developers and a regional rivalry match between Daejeon and South Chungcheong Province. The talk concert will feature Senior Gameplay Designer Matthew Leung-Harrison, Executive Producer Paul Bellezza, and influencers Lee Sang-ho and Kim Min-gyo. The second-semester regular season is slated to kick off in late August and run through November, transitioning from the previous group league format to a full league system where all participating teams face off.

You can catch the live broadcast of the tournament on the KeSPA School eSports Channel and further information can be found via the official Instagram channel.