Riot and TJ Sports launch Tier 2 League of Legends invitational for 2026

Esports News UK, Senior Editor

Last Updated: 06/09/2026

Riot Games has announced a new international tournament aimed squarely at League of Legends’ Tier 2 scene, working with TJ Sports to run the 2026 World Star Challengers Invitational from 20 September to 2 October. The event brings together 16 teams from across Asia, Europe and the Americas and is being pitched as a test pilot for future Tier 2 international events.

Each of the game’s five regions gets its own qualification path. North and South America, Asia, the Asia-Pacific Islands and EMEA will each send three teams, with a final spot reserved for the 2026 Asia Masters champion, Dplus Kia Challengers. Teams will be drawn into four-team groups, with rules preventing two sides from the same region meeting in the Pool 1 or 2 draw. The group stage runs as a best-of-one double round-robin from 20 to 25 September, before qualifiers move into a single-elimination playoff bracket, with all series best-of-five, from 27 September through to 2 October. Riot has not yet confirmed a venue, nor detailed what travel support teams will receive.

In North America, where the NACL is currently down to five teams, Cupid Esports, NRG, Maryville University, Winthrop University and Conviction Gaming, competing in the playoffs for a spot in the LCS, reaction has been cautiously positive. NRG top laner Frankie “Zamudo” Lin told Esports Insider he was pleasantly surprised by the announcement and would relish the chance to play in it. Cupid Esports coach Samuel “boc” Boudrie was more measured about the practical details, noting the region’s lone qualifying slot and tight turnaround.

“I wish the NACL had more than one spot, and we had a bit more time. I’m just happy that Tier 2 is getting more resources, so I’ll take it.”

That turnaround is real: the qualifying NACL side will have roughly nine days’ notice to sort travel and logistics before the event begins. Boudrie argued the value lies less in the trophy than in exposure to unfamiliar styles, pointing out that Asian Tier 2 sides are often seen as mechanically sharper while European teams hold their own at the macro level. He described the current NACL diet of facing the same handful of opponents repeatedly as liable to grow stagnant.

Contingent’s Jose Graham on Tier 2 investment

Contingent team owner Jose “beardsandcats” Graham called the tournament a “ray of light” for a scene that has seen viewership and play quality decline in North America, framing it as evidence Riot intends to keep investing in Tier 2 rather than letting it drift. Riot’s own press material describes the goal as giving players competitive exposure to different regional styles and higher-stakes environments than they typically encounter at home.

The invitational follows other recent expansions to Riot’s international calendar, including China’s addition to and the broadening of the Demacia Cup to invite outside competition. Fans will be able to follow the World Star Challengers Invitational through each region’s existing Tier 2 broadcast channels once the event gets under way on 20 September.

Upcoming League of Legends matches

Match centreLCS Summer 2026LiveLYON0Disguised0LCK Challengers League 2026Today 09:00 · Bo5Kiwoom DRX Challengers04.5DN SOOPers Challengers01.29LPL Split 3 2026Today 10:00 · Bo5Anyone's Legend04Bilibili Gaming01.26

Esports News UK, Senior Editor

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• league of legends
• NACL
• riot games
• Tier 2
• TJ Sports