Invictus Gaming Defeat Top Esports 3-1 to Reach Worlds 2026 Semifinals

Invictus Gaming became the first team to reach the League of Legends Worlds 2026 semifinals after defeating Top Esports 3-1 on November 3. The victory marks IG's first appearance in the tournament's final four since 2019.

The all-LPL quarterfinal took place in Allen, Texas, where Top Esports briefly fought back to level the series before IG secured two consecutive wins. Jungler Yan "Wei" Yang-Wei delivered standout performances in the final two games to help his team advance.

Invictus Gaming took the opening game after Kang "TheShy" Seung-lok turned a crucial jungle fight around with Gnar. His Teleport helped IG wipe out Top Esports and build a gold lead that eventually exceeded 10,000.

Top Esports responded in a second game lasting nearly 47 minutes. Bai "369" Jia-Hao played a decisive role on Renekton, defending his team's base during a late IG push before helping TES win the final teamfight and tie the series.

Wei took control in game three with an unusual jungle Jayce pick. His pressure across the map helped IG establish an advantage, while his damage in teamfights gave Top Esports little room to recover.

After a lengthy technical pause, Wei switched to Naafiri for game four. He repeatedly pressured the top lane, helped secure key objectives, and contributed to a Baron take that strengthened IG's position. A final fight around Dragon Soul allowed Invictus Gaming to close out the series.

Invictus Gaming's victory brings two members of its 2018 world championship roster back to the semifinals. TheShy and Song "Rookie" Eui-jin helped the organization win its first Worlds title eight years ago, defeating Fnatic 3-0 in the grand final.

The organization reached the semifinals in 2019, when eventual champions FunPlus Phoenix eliminated it. IG's return follows a disappointing Worlds 2025 campaign that ended in 17th place.

Top Esports, meanwhile, finish Worlds 2026 in fifth to eighth place. The team had entered the tournament as the LPL's third seed, with 369 joining the lineup after Cheng "ZUIAN" Zihao encountered visa problems.

Invictus Gaming will meet the winner of Gen.G versus LYON in the first semifinal on November 7. The two teams are scheduled to play their quarterfinal on November 4, with Gen.G entering the Knockout Stage after winning all three of its Swiss Stage matches.

The other half of the bracket features Dplus KIA against Bilibili Gaming on November 5 and T1 against Karmine Corp on November 6. Both semifinals will take place in Allen, Texas, before the Worlds 2026 grand final moves to Barclays Center in Brooklyn on November 14.