LCK Cup 2026 Playoffs: Gen.G Qualify, T1 Eliminated

The LCK Cup 2026 Playoffs delivered one of the biggest upsets of the year in South Korea’s League of Legends scene. While Gen.G secured qualification for First Stand 2026, reigning world champions T1 were eliminated after a dramatic reverse sweep by DPlus KIA.

With the season’s first international event on the line, the penultimate week of the LCK Cup 2026 Playoffs featured two pivotal best-of-five series that reshaped the tournament bracket.

Gen.G Qualify in LCK Cup 2026 Playoffs

Gen.G continue to cement their status as one of the most consistent teams in Korea. By defeating BNK FearX 3–1 in the upper bracket, Gen.G advanced to the LCK Cup 2026 final and became the first team to qualify for First Stand 2026.

BNK FearX showed resilience and managed to claim one map in the series. However, the squad led by Kim “Canyon” Geon-bu proved superior in key moments.

Jeong “Chovy” Ji-hoon and Park “Ruler” Jae-hyuk set the tone from the opening game, delivering decisive plays that secured early momentum. Lee “VicLa” Dae-kwang and Nam “Diable” Dae-geun stood out for BNK FearX, particularly in their lone victory, but were unable to halt Gen.G’s controlled macro play.

With the 3–1 win, Gen.G now await their opponent in the grand final and prepare for international competition.

T1 Eliminated from LCK Cup 2026 Playoffs

Despite a strong regular season, T1 were unable to maintain their form in the LCK Cup 2026 Playoffs. After previously falling to BNK FearX, T1 needed a victory over DPlus KIA to keep their First Stand 2026 hopes alive.

T1 opened the elimination series with a commanding 2–0 lead. While the first game remained competitive, the second map was firmly controlled by the reigning world champions.

However, DPlus KIA mounted an impressive comeback. Led by Heo “ShowMaker” Su, alongside strong performances from Smash and Lucid, the team forced a decisive fifth game after leveling the series 2–2.

In the final map, DPlus KIA drafted a teamfight-oriented composition and executed it flawlessly. Siwoo’s Gwen spearheaded the decisive victory, as DPlus KIA closed out the game in just 30 minutes to eliminate T1 from the tournament.

What’s Next?

DPlus KIA will face BNK FearX on Feb. 28 in a best-of-five lower bracket final. The winner will advance to the LCK Cup 2026 grand final and secure qualification for First Stand 2026 — the first international League of Legends event of the season.

With T1 eliminated, the Korean powerhouse will miss the season’s opening global tournament, marking a significant shift in the region’s competitive landscape.