The 2026 LCK Cup commences on Wednesday, January 14, at the Chijijik LoL Park in Seoul, marking the beginning of a seven-week preseason tournament for Korea’s elite League of Legends teams. This year’s tournament is set to feature a lineup of high-profile matchups in its opening week, including contests involving four teams that represented the LCK at the 2025 World Championship.
Week 1 will showcase two significant clashes between these Worlds participants. On Thursday, January 16, T1 is scheduled to face off against Hanwha Life Esports, followed by a highly anticipated rematch on Friday, January 17, where KT Rolster will go head-to-head with Gen.G—a repeat of last year’s World Championship semifinal.
Hanwha Life Esports enters this tournament following substantial roster changes. The organization, which claimed the inaugural LCK Cup in 2025, has brought in former T1 AD carry Lee “Gumayusi” Min-hyeong and jungler Seo “Kanavi” Jin-hyeok to replace veteran Han “Peanut” Wang-ho. Meanwhile, T1 has retained its championship-winning core but has filled the vacant bottom lane position with Kim “Peyz” Su-hwan, formerly of Gen.G.
The match between KT Rolster and Gen.G draws extra attention due to their recent history on the international stage. Gen.G has opted to keep its roster intact during the offseason, while KT has made significant adjustments to its bot lane, signing Kim “Aiming” Ha-ram and welcoming back Jang “Ghost” Yong-jun, who is returning from retirement in a support role.
All matches in the LCK Cup will be played on Patch 26.01, which introduces several systemic changes expected to impact professional gameplay. Notably, the update adds lane-based quests that reward players for fulfilling their designated roles, along with modifications to turret growth and militia movement mechanics. Coaches anticipate that these adjustments could shift the focus toward macro-oriented decision-making rather than constant skirmishing.
In addition to gameplay changes, the tournament will implement operational modifications, including a limited trial of Coach Voice. This feature will allow coaches to communicate with players during group-stage matches, a marked departure from traditional coaching methods. Riot Games is also rolling out a new First Pick Priority system, providing teams the option to choose between side selection or draft priority, moving away from the previous system that tied first pick exclusively to the blue side.
Week 1 of the 2026 LCK Cup will unfold from January 14 through January 19, featuring two matches each day. Fans can look forward to live broadcasts online, with in-person tickets available for upcoming matchdays. As the tournament progresses, it promises not only to showcase the talents of the participating teams but also to test the adaptability of players to the new patch and operational changes, setting the stage for what could be an exhilarating season in the competitive League of Legends scene.
