LCK Cup 2026 Play-In Schedule and Week 3 - Results

Week 3 of the LCK Cup 2026 has concluded. During this time, many important events occurred that are worth analyzing. Ten Korean teams continue their fight for the title and the right to compete at the First Stand 2026 tournament. In this article, we will summarize the results, highlight the key moments, and proceed to a review of the matches from the past third week of the group stage.

Play-In: LCK Cup 2026 Schedule

The Play-In stage matches will take place from February 6 to 8. The LCK Cup 2026 Schedule is presented below:

The LCK Cup 2026 Group Stage, titled "Group Battle," took place from January 14 to February 1. Ten of Korea's strongest teams participated in this stage, divided into two competing groups: Baron and Elder. Throughout this entire phase, teams fought to determine who would advance to the Play-In stage, who would qualify directly for the Playoffs, and who would be eliminated from the tournament. The culmination of this standoff was the third week, which earned the status of "Super Week."

The unique feature of this decisive week lay in the raised stakes. The teams continued to compete in the group format, but the value of every victory increased. The higher number of points awarded for a win had a significant impact on the teams' final standings in the tournament table and shuffled the balance of power ahead of the next stage.

The tournament format has its nuances, so to make it easier for you to understand all the details, we have prepared a special resource - the LCK Cup 2026 Viewer Guide. In it, I break down the structure of every championship stage in detail, explain the match rules, and introduce you to the participating teams.

LCK Cup 2026 Play-In Matches You Shouldn't Miss

Credit: X@LCK

The Play-In stage at the LCK Cup 2026 will go by very quickly, and League of Legends esports fans shouldn't miss a single match. A total of six teams will compete in this stage in a Double Elimination bracket format. Out of these six, only three will advance to the playoffs, where they will be met by the three teams that secured the best results in their respective groups.

As I mentioned earlier, every match is worth your attention, so let's try to analyze the teams' form and predict the winners.

The first matchup is DRX vs. BRION. To start, let's compare the records and points with which the teams emerged from the group stage. DRX exited the group with a 2-3 match record and a 7-9 game record. It’s not the best record, but it can’t be called bad either, considering their opponents and the fact that the team managed to pick up important points in the matches they lost, with the exception of the Gen.G series. Fittingly, the team's final match in the group stage was against BRION, whom they managed to defeat with a score of 3-2.

BRION, on the other hand, holds the worst record across both groups. They failed to win a single match and finished with a 5-11 map score. Their ticket to the Play-In stage was essentially gifted to them by their placement in Group Baron, which advances the last-place team to the first round of the Play-In stage. The team has many rookies, and the roster was essentially built from scratch for this season. Not enough time has passed for the team to build synergy and prove themselves, so if we are to expect results, I think it will be closer to the Summer Split. Regarding their clash with DRX, I believe victory will go to DRX again, and possibly even more easily than in their previous meeting during Super Week.

The second match is KT Rolster vs. SOOPers (Freecs). The winner of this match is less obvious, as both teams underwent roster changes and didn't show their best form during the group stage. KT Rolster finished the group with a 2-3 match record and a 6-9 map record. SOOPers had a 1-4 match record and went 5-10 in maps. As you can see, the difference isn't that large. Looking at their previous meeting in the group stage, KT Rolster secured the victory with a 2-1 score. If we compare rosters, at the moment I prefer KT Rolster's form and gameplay. They retained part of their roster from last year, when they managed to reach the Worlds 2025 finals, only to fall to T1 with a score of 2-3.

LCK Cup 2026 Week 3 Results

Credit: X@LCK

Now let's discuss how Week 3 of the LCK Cup 2026 - Super Week - unfolded. One of the brightest moments was the match between Gen.G and Hanwha Life Esports. Given HLE's form, despite their star-studded roster, the majority of analysts and experts leaned towards a confident victory for Gen.G, and that is exactly what happened. Gen.G has been in incredible form since last year and managed to shut out HLE with a 3-0 score.

The second match that also ended with a 3-0 score was T1 vs Dplus KIA. However, the impact of this victory wasn't just about DK's loss or T1's strong position. Most devastatingly, T1's clean sweep created a major problem for Hanwha Life Esports, who consequently finished last in the group with a 2-3 match record and a 5-9 map record. HLE's elimination from the LCK Cup 2026 came as a huge shock to all fans and the community as a whole. The LCK Cup 2025 champions and First Stand 2025 champions finished 10th in the tournament this year, failing to reach even the Play-In stage.

The most interesting match of Super Week was KT Rolster vs Nongshim RedForce. The teams played a full five-map series where NS managed to secure victory in the final game. This victory allowed them to advance to Play-In Round 2 based on points, significantly increasing their chances of reaching the playoffs. This year, Nongshim RedForce has assembled an interesting and very promising roster, so it will be exciting to see how far they can go.

It was a pleasure to watch FEARX, especially in their match against SOOPers. This year, the BFX team looks much more confident and interesting. This victory during the LCK Cup 2026 Super Week allowed them to take first place in the group and advance directly to Playoff Round 1.

Following roster changes this season, the majority of teams have significantly altered their game plans and styles. This makes them much more interesting to watch. Although the meta hasn't changed much and the champions remain the same, the character of the game has, in my opinion, changed for the better.

LCK Cup 2026 Details

The LCK Cup 2026 tournament takes place from January 14 to March 1. This season, the championship's key objective is to determine who will represent the region at the upcoming First Stand (FST) 2026 tournament. Only the top two teams based on the results of all competition stages will receive the coveted invitations to the international arena.

A distinctive feature of this tournament is the Fearless Draft format, which is applied in all matches - from the group stage to the playoff finals. This innovation requires teams to not only have deep strategic preparation for Bo3 and Bo5 series but also possess a truly extensive champion pool.

Following the off-season and roster changes, the level of competition in the league has grown significantly. Spectators can expect spectacular matchups and an uncompromising struggle for the right to defend the region's honor on the global stage. Follow the tournament's progress and support your favorites on their path to the LCK Cup 2026 finals.