The League of Legends competition at the 20th Asian Games begins on September 29 and runs through October 2 in Aichi, Japan, with eight national teams entered, according to tournament details published by Esports.gg. The Games combine video game competition with traditional sports, and League of Legends is part of the official esports lineup.
The tournament is split into a group stage and a knockout bracket. Two groups of four teams each play a single round-robin, and the top two finishers in each group advance. Group A plays its matches on September 29, with Group B following on September 30.
The knockout stage is three matches long. Both semifinals are best-of-three series held on October 1, and the grand final is a best-of-five on October 2.
National teams rather than clubs
Esports.gg described the format as unusual for League of Legends because the entrants are national teams rather than the commercial esports organisations that make up the regular circuit. The outlet said the field draws heavily on players from T1, HLE and Gen.G, and named South Korea as heavy favourites for the gold medal out of Group B, with Chinese Taipei and Hong Kong expected to contest the second qualification place in that group.
In Group A, the outlet placed Vietnam as the clear favourite, citing the roster's experience in top-tier League of Legends competition, and said the race for the group's second playoff spot was harder to call.
How to watch
The broadcast does not follow the usual esports pattern. Esports.gg said the tournament is not carried on the traditional YouTube and Twitch channels, and that viewers need the official television network or the regional streaming app holding Asian Games rights in their area.
The event lands in a crowded stretch of the calendar. Esports.gg listed the 2026 World Championship as running from October 15 to November 14, with the 2026 Demacia Cup Global Invitational held between October 3 and October 17 for teams that narrowly missed Worlds qualification.
