LPL Split 3 preview: Format, schedule, odds and predictions

Naerlyn Published July 21, 2026

Just days after the end of the 2026 Mid-Season Invitational and Esports World Cup, it’s already time for the LPL Split 3. Starting July 22, 12 teams will fight for China’s four spots at the 2026 World Championship, and a prize pool of ¥4,000,000 ($591,000). Which of these 12 teams has the best odds, and which ones should bettors focus on?

Event overview

Tournament Format and Schedule

The 2026 LPL Split 3 will start on July 22, 2026 at 11 am CEST / 5 am EST, to run for approximately ten weeks over four stages.

Group Stage (July 22 – August 23)

• The 12 LPL teams are split into two groups. The top eight play in Ascend, the bottom four in Nirvana.
• The teams play a double round robin within their group.
• Every match is a best-of-three with Fearless draft.
• The top six Ascend teams qualify for the playoffs. The next four teams qualify for the Knight’s Rivals (play-in).

Knight’s Rivals (Dates TBA)

• The two Ascend teams each play a Fearless best-of-five against one Nirvana team.
• The two winners qualify for the playoffs.

Playoffs (Dates TBA)

• The eight teams that qualified for the LPL playoffs will participate in a double-elimination bracket tournament.
• The top two teams start in round 2. The next four start in round 1. The Knight’s Rivals participants start in lower round 1.
• All matches are best-of-five.

The grand final winner qualifies for the 2026 LoL World Championship. The other playoff teams receive Championship Points based on their placement. After the event, the next team with the most points becomes the LPL’s second seed.

Regional Finals (Dates TBA)

• The four non-qualified teams with the most Championship Points play in this bracket.
• The top two teams play a qualification match. Then, the bottom two teams have an elimination series. The winner of that match faces the loser of the first one as the second qualification series.
• All matches are best-of-five.

The Team WE arena in Xi’an will host the LPL Split 3 2026. Image credit: Riot Games

LPL Split 3 teams

The LPL Split 3 has 12 of the 14 teams that Split 2 did. The bottom two from Spring have been demoted to the LDL.

Group Ascend

• Bilibili Gaming
• Top Esports
• Team WE
• Anyone’s Legend
• LGD Gaming
• JD Gaming
• TT Gaming
• EDward Gaming

Group Nirvana

• LNG Esports
• Weibo Gaming
• Ninjas in Pyjamas
• Invictus Gaming

For more on these teams, read up on their rosters here.

Will Anyone’s Legend finally win an LPL split again? Image credit: Colin Young-Wolff / Riot Games

Outright odds

Odds as of July 20 on GG.BET.

LPL Split 3 prediction

Here are our predictions for the LPL Split 3. With BLG cementing itself as a global powerhouse in 2026, the LPL is an important tournament to watch.

The biggest news ahead of Split 3 is the demotion of the World champion Invictus Gaming to Group Nirvana. After two international events for some and a long break for others, here is what we can expect for Split 3.

Bilibili Gaming, kings of the LPL

In 2026, BLG cleared all doubts anyone might have had about their strength. While not seen as the favorites in Split 1, they not only won the split, but also crushed the international competition at First Stand 2026.

In Split 2, they had a slightly quieter regular season, before dominating the playoffs where they were challenged only by Team WE of all teams. Against the other opponents, they went 12-1. At MSI, they barely failed to extend their golden road by losing 2-3 to Hanwha Life Esports in the grand final.

Despite some inconsistencies, all BLG players continue to be best or second best in their roles. While some of them do get bested at times, Zhuo “Knight” Ding has been a monster throughout all of 2026, and is probably the current best mid laner in the world.

Top Esports is a top two contender for the LPL Split 3 2026. Image credit: Colin Young-Wolff / Riot Games

Top Esports, the regional merchants

In Split 2, TES has once again confirmed what everyone already found predictable by then. The better they are regionally, the more they’ll disappoint internationally. No matter what, no matter when, Top Esports has never reached the final of an international event.

At MSI 2026, they won nothing, losing to G2 Esports then Team Secret Whales. With that, they gave the LCP their first ever BO5 win against the LPL.

Despite it all, they’ll likely come back as a powerhouse once again. In Split 2, they were one of the best teams during the regular season. Then in the playoffs, they crushed everyone in their path. TES was the team to reach the final through the upper bracket – where they got destroyed by BLG. In Split 3, they’ll remain a top four team, with the potential to make top two again.

Team WE, the element of surprise

With the fall of Invictus Gaming, the LPL has four big names: Bilibili Gaming, Top Esports, JD Gaming, and Anyone’s Legend. In Split 2 though, there was Team WE, all the way at the bottom of the barrel. WE finished the regular season 1-13 with a dreadful showing.

Then, come the playoffs, they suddenly woke up. WE beat LNG, then stomped both BLG and AL. Afterwards, TES and BLG knocked them out, but no one would have expected a third place finish. Most of all, they were the only team to beat or even challenge Bilibili Gaming, finishing with a head-to-head of 5-4.

There is no telling which side of this team will show up in Split 3. Either way, WE has proven that they can’t be counted out no matter how the split begins.

Featured image credit: Riot Games