Top Esports Stun BLG to Reach Worlds 2026 Playoffs as KC Stay Alive

Top Esports stunned Bilibili Gaming (BLG) 2-1 to secure a place in the Worlds 2026 playoffs on Thursday, October 29, in Round 4 of the League of Legends World Championship Swiss Stage. Elsewhere, Karmine Corp (KC) swept CTBC Flying Oyster (CFO) 2-0 in a series featuring a Game 2 comeback and multiple technical pauses.

Worlds 2026 Results for October 29

• Top Esports 2-1 Bilibili Gaming (TES qualify for the quarterfinals).
• Karmine Corp 2-0 CTBC Flying Oyster (CFO eliminated).

TES finish the Swiss Stage with a 3-1 record and move on to the quarterfinals. BLG drop to 2-2 and will need to win one final series to advance. KC also improve to 2-2, while CFO exit the tournament at 1-3.

Top Esports Defy Expectations Against Bilibili Gaming

BLG entered the series as the favorites. The reigning LPL runners-up received nearly 80% of the predictions on Strafe's match page and had won their most recent meeting with TES 2-0 during LPL Split 3.

TES also came into Worlds with a stand-in top laner. Cheng “ZUIAN” Zi-Hao was unable to travel to the United States because of visa issues, forcing the team to bring veteran Bai “369” Jia-Hao back into the starting lineup. The veteran had been on the bench and had not played an official match since April before returning for Worlds 2026.

Both LPL teams followed similar paths through the Swiss Stage. After losing their opening matches, TES recovered with wins over Anyone's Legend and G2 Esports. BLG bounced back by defeating Team Liquid and Karmine Corp.

With both sides entering the matchup at 2-1, the winner would book a quarterfinal spot without sending the loser home. TES took that opportunity, leaving BLG facing a must-win series in the final Swiss round on Saturday, October 31.

Karmine Corp Eliminate CFO After Comeback and Technical Pauses

KC cruised through the opening game, winning in just 27 minutes and 35 seconds with a 19-3 kill score. Game 2 was a different story, as CFO gained advantages in lane and built a lead of roughly 4,500 gold. KC began closing the gap through teamfights, but play was then interrupted by technical problems.

At around the 25-minute mark, CFO reported a possible equipment issue, leading to a lengthy stoppage. Chinese-language reports described five pauses during Game 2 and mentioned a possible bug preventing item purchases. One interruption lasted nearly half an hour, with players leaving their seats while officials worked to resume the match. The reported item-purchase issue has not been independently confirmed as the cause.

Speaking to Inven Global after the match, KC top laner Kim “Canna” Chang-dong said the delay had been longer than expected. He added:

“Riot gave us permission to discuss the game during that time, so refocusing once play resumed wasn't much of a problem.”

When play resumed, CFO secured Dragon Soul but could not turn their advantage into a victory. KC won key fights, secured Baron Nashor and completed the comeback following a battle around Elder Dragon, closing out the series 2-0.

The loss ended CFO's Worlds 2026 campaign, while KC moved one best-of-three victory away from the quarterfinals.

What Are the Next Worlds 2026 Matches?

Swiss Stage Round 4 concludes on Friday, October 30, with two more elimination best-of-three series. Start times are listed for North America, Brazil, the United Kingdom and Central Europe:

• 4:00 PM ET / 1:00 PM PT / 5:00 PM BRT / 8:00 PM GMT / 9:00 PM CET: Team Liquid vs LOS.
• 7:00 PM ET / 4:00 PM PT / 8:00 PM BRT / 11:00 PM GMT / 12:00 AM CET (Oct. 31): Hanwha Life Esports vs G2 Esports.

Both series feature teams sitting at 1-2. Winners will improve to 2-2 and advance to the final Swiss round on Saturday, October 31; losers will be eliminated. The three remaining quarterfinal spots will then be decided in the 2-2 matches, with pairings to be determined after Round 4 ends.

Time zone note: ET and PT are observing daylight saving time (EDT and PDT) on October 30. The United Kingdom and Central Europe are already on standard time (GMT and CET).

Follow Strafe's full Worlds 2026 coverage for the match schedule, results, participating teams, and more from the League of Legends World Championship.

---

Follow Strafe Esports for the latest League of Legends news, and check out our X account for more updates and coverage. You can also visit the Strafe YouTube channel for exclusive interviews, press conferences, and more.

Featured image credit: Riot Games

Read more:

T1 and Invictus Gaming Qualify for Worlds 2026 Playoffs

BTS Members Play LoL at LOUD's Training Facility in Brazil

LoL Patch 26.22 Preview: Shen Jungle Returns, Corki Buffs, and Locke Changes