Faker heads to Worlds 2026 chasing something no one has ever done: a fourth straight world title. T1 won in 2023, 2024 and 2025, and now defends the crown in the United States. Here’s when T1 plays (in ET, PT, Mexico, Chile and Spain time), which teams they can draw, and a calculator to see their real chances of reaching the final and winning.
When does Faker play at Worlds 2026?
T1 qualified as Korea’s third seed: they finished third in LCK 2026 (losing 3-1 to Hanwha Life in the lower bracket final) and go straight to the Swiss stage in Allen, Texas, skipping the Play-In. T1’s exact match days are set by the October 18 draw, but the calendar is already clear:
Countdown
Next up: Worlds 2026
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Start time of each day’s first series. We’ll update this guide with T1’s exact matches after the draw.
- October 23–31 · Swiss stage (Allen, Texas). T1 plays one series per round until reaching 3 wins or 3 losses.
- November 3–6 · Quarterfinals (Allen). Best of five.
- November 7–8 · Semifinals (Allen). Best of five.
- November 14 · Grand final (Barclays Center, New York).
T1 at Worlds 2026: start times by country
Start time of each match day per the published schedule (T1 may play the first series of the day or a later one):
| Match day | ET | PT | Mexico City | Chile | Spain |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Oct 23–26 · Swiss | 1 PM | 10 AM | 11:00 | 14:00 | 19:00 (18:00 from Oct 25) |
| Oct 28–30 · Swiss | 4 PM | 1 PM | 14:00 | 17:00 | 21:00 |
| Oct 31 · Swiss | 1 PM | 10 AM | 11:00 | 14:00 | 18:00 |
| Nov 3–8 · QF & SF | 5 PM | 2 PM | 16:00 | 19:00 | 23:00 |
| Nov 14 · Final | 2 PM | 11 AM | 13:00 | 16:00 | 20:00 |
Who can T1 face first?
In Swiss round 1, Tier 3 (T1’s tier) is paired with Tier 2, and teams from the same region can’t meet in that round. That rules out Hanwha Life, so Faker’s first opponent will be one of these three:
- Bilibili Gaming (China): T1’s 2024 final opponent and MSI 2026 runner-up.
- Team Secret Whales (Asia-Pacific).
- Brazil’s champion (LOS or FURIA, depending on the CBLOL final).
From round 2, teams with the same record are paired, so Gen.G, Anyone’s Legend, G2 or Josedeodo’s Team Liquid can appear. See our Josedeodo, Faker and Elyoya guide.
Interactive calculator
How likely is T1 to win Worlds 2026?
Move the sliders to match your opinion. The starting values are our estimate.
Math: to clear the Swiss stage T1 needs 3 wins before 3 losses; after that, every round is single elimination. This is an editorial estimate, not an official prediction or betting advice.
Can T1 reach the final? What the analysts say
T1 isn’t the clear favorite. Gen.G won LCK 2026 and leads the prediction markets (about a 33% chance to win the event in early October), and Hanwha Life just won MSI 2026 over Bilibili Gaming. In Hotspawn’s top 20 players, Keria is 4th and Peyz 6th, while Faker drops to 15th after a shakier year in lane, though the same analysis still calls him “the GOAT.”
The T1 story is familiar: a team that levels up at Worlds. With our base estimate, T1 clears the Swiss stage in three of four scenarios, reaches the final about one time in five and wins the title around 10% of the time, a strong number in a 16-team field. Move the calculator sliders to see how their chances change.
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T1’s streak: three straight world titles
- 2013, 2015 and 2016 · Faker’s first three titles with SK Telecom T1.
- 2023 · Seoul · T1 sweeps Weibo Gaming 3-0.
- 2024 · London · A 3-2 comeback against Bilibili Gaming.
- 2025 · Chengdu · 3-2 final against KT Rolster: the first three-peat in Worlds history.
- 2026 · New York · Number four?
Watching in T1 colors? The T1 Worlds 2026 jersey is 29.99 USD, shipping to the US, Mexico, Chile, Peru, Colombia and Spain.
Play like a champion
FAQ
When does T1 play at Worlds 2026?
In the Swiss stage, October 23–31 in Allen, Texas. Exact matches are set after the October 18 draw. Quarterfinals run November 3–6, semifinals November 7–8 and the final is November 14 in New York.
What time is the Worlds 2026 final?
2 PM ET / 11 AM PT on Saturday, November 14 (4 PM in Chile, 8 PM in Spain).
How many Worlds has Faker won?
Six: 2013, 2015, 2016, 2023, 2024 and 2025, all with T1.
Is T1 the favorite to win Worlds 2026?
Not the top favorite: Gen.G (LCK champion) and Hanwha Life (MSI champion) are better positioned. Still, T1 is the three-time defending champion and tends to peak at Worlds.
Who can T1 face in round 1?
A non-Korean Tier 2 team: Bilibili Gaming, Team Secret Whales or Brazil’s champion.
Sources: Inven Global, Insider Gaming, esports.gg, Hotspawn, Polymarket, Dot Esports, LoL Esports and Liquipedia.
