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Worlds 2026 Pick'Ems Guide: Swiss Stage
19 Oct, 2026, 15:58
|Last updated: 19 Oct, 2026, 15:58
Worlds 2026 is turning up the heat with the arrival of the Swiss Stage, which means it's time to put your League of Legends knowledge to the test for the second stage of the Pick'Ems challenge. Let's take a look at how to make your picks and how you can better guide your selections for a chance at some amazing rewards.
Don't take too long to make your picks, though, as the Swiss Stage Pick'Ems window closes on October 23, at 10 am PT!
How to Do Your Worlds 2026 Pick'Ems
To access the Pick'Ems challenge, you can visit the official LoL Esports link for the event. Once there, you will need to log in with your Riot ID before you can make your Pick'Ems selections.
Now that the Play-In Stage is officially over, only the Swiss Stage and Knockout Stage parts of the challenge remain.
Each stage has its own opening and closing dates, so be sure to mark your calendars!
Swiss Stage Pick'Ems window:
- Opens: October 18
- Closes: October 23, before the first Swiss Stage match begins at 10 a.m. PT
Knockout Stage Pick'Ems window:
- Opens: October 31
- Closes: November 3, before the first Knockouts match begins at 2 p.m. PT
Note that the 2026 League of Legends World Championship will be played on Patch 26.20.
Strafe's Picks: Worlds 2026 Swiss Stage Pick'Ems Guide
When it comes to the Swiss Stage, you will have to predict the 8 teams that will make it through to the playoffs. Correctly guessing a team to finish with a 3-0, 3-1, and 3-2 record will earn you extra points. So let's have a look.
To kick things off, Gen.G look like the most obvious pick for the 3-0 team. One of the cleanest teams in all of professional League of Legends, Gen.G are in hot form after winning the 2026 LCK Season without breaking a sweat. Now, expect that form to carry over to the Swiss Stage at Worlds.
For our 3-1 team, Bilibili Gaming appear to be a great pick. The truth is that the First Stand champions have been rather hit or miss lately. Though they should be able to make it through the Swiss Stage without too much difficulty in the end, their lack of consistency could easily see them drop a series.
Alternatively, T1 are also a good option for the 3-1 spot. The team's pedigree should see them making it through this stage, but their relatively poor form means it should not be a clean affair by any means for the reigning World Champions.
Lastly, we are looking towards the LCS for our 3-2 pick. Both LYON and Team Liquid Alienware have shown a good enough level of play lately to suggest they could make it to the Knockout Stage, but the road to get there should be a tough one. Given the amount of individual talent on the roster, we are leaning towards LYON for our pick.
Teams like G2 Esports or Dplus KIA — two squads that have shown high highs throughout the season but struggle to remain consistent — are also solid picks for the 3-2 spot.
When all is said and done, the 8 teams we expect to make it through the Swiss Stage and onto the Knockout Stage are Gen.G, Hanwha Life Esports, Anyone's Legend, Bilibili Gaming, T1, G2 Esports, LYON, and Dplus KIA. Other teams with a solid chance of making it include Top Esports, Invictus Gaming, Karmine Corp, and Team Liquid.
Remember, though, when it comes to Worlds, just about anything can happen! Make sure to follow the Swiss Stage on Strafe to keep track of the latest results at Worlds 2026.
What Are the Worlds 2026 Pick'Ems Rewards?
The Worlds 2026 Pick'Ems rewards have something in store for anyone who participates in the challenge! The rewards range from emotes to skins, with better rewards waiting for you the more accurate your predictions turn out to be.
Here's a look at the complete list of Worlds 2026 Pick'Ems rewards:
- Participation: True Damage Ekko emote
- Top 50%: Groovy Pup icon
- Top 25%: Spicy Dog emote
- Top 5,000: True Damage Yasuo skin and champion
- Perfect picks: DJ Sona, Elementalist Lux, Gun Goddess Miss Fortune, K/DA ALL OUT Seraphine, Pulsefire Ezreal, Soul Fighter Samira and Spirit Guard Udyr skins (with champions included) + all of the above
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Featured image credit: Riot Games
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