First Stand 2026: G2 Esports Sweep Gen.G to Reach Final
- Miguel Méndez
- 6 days ago
- 2 min read
The first international event of the 2026 League of Legends season is nearing its conclusion, and a dramatic matchday on March 21 has delivered one of the biggest upsets of the tournament.
G2 Esports advanced to the First Stand 2026 final after sweeping Gen.G 3-0, eliminating the LCK’s top seed and ending Korea’s long-standing dominance in international events.
After suffering a loss to Bilibili Gaming in the group stage, G2 Esports bounced back in impressive fashion, eliminating both LCK representatives in decisive series. Notably, Korean teams had not missed an international final since 2023.
First Stand 2026: G2 Esports Dominate LCK Teams
G2 Esports delivered a standout performance throughout the knockout stage, showcasing a high level against one of the most dominant regions in competitive League of Legends.
The European side first defeated BNK FearX in a convincing 3-0 sweep on March 20, denying the LCK runner-up any chance to build momentum.
Jungler Rudy “SkewMond” Semaan played a key role in the victory, consistently controlling the map and limiting the impact of BNK FearX star Nam “Diable” Dae-geun.
Across all three games, G2 maintained control through clean rotations, disciplined macro play, and minimal mistakes, setting up a high-stakes clash against tournament favorites Gen.G.
G2 Esports Eliminate Gen.G in Major Upset
Gen.G entered the series as one of the strongest teams in the tournament, having remained undefeated throughout the season and dropping only a few maps during the LCK Cup.
However, G2 Esports outclassed the Korean side in every aspect of the game.
SkewMond once again led the charge, outperforming Kim “Canyon” Geon-bu in jungle control. His early-game pressure through constant ganks gave G2 consistent advantages across all three maps.
With strong support from Lampros “Labrov” Papoutsakis and Steven “Hans Sama” Li, G2 built commanding gold leads — often exceeding 8,000 gold — leaving Gen.G with little room to recover.
Although Gen.G showed brief flashes of their usual form, the team struggled to adapt and committed multiple errors while attempting to regain control.
Star players Jeong “Chovy” Ji-hoon and Park “Ruler” Jae-hyuk were largely neutralized throughout the series, drawing criticism from fans after failing to impact the games.
With the defeat, the LCK exits First Stand 2026 without reaching the final, posting a 0-6 record against LEC teams, marking one of the region’s weakest international performances in recent years.
What’s Next at First Stand 2026
With this victory, G2 Esports sends the LEC to its second consecutive First Stand final, following Karmine Corp’s run in 2025, where the team finished as runner-up.
G2 will now face one of the LPL representatives, as JD Gaming and Bilibili Gaming compete for the final spot in the championship match.
