JD Gaming secures the last spot for First Stand 2026

Chinese language esports organisation JD Gaming is the final group to qualify for First Stand, the primary worldwide match on the 2026 League of Legends esports calendar.

The group locked its qualification after advancing to the grand last of the LPL Cut up 1 Playoffs, and can head to São Paulo, Brazil, because the second seed from the Chinese language area.

Regardless of qualifying, it wasn’t a simple run for JDG. After shedding a nail-biting sequence within the higher bracket match in opposition to BLG, the group needed to struggle by way of the decrease bracket playoffs, taking down Anybody’s Legend and Weibo Gaming, two high groups in competition for a spot at First Stand.

As soon as once more, JD Gaming head coach Wong ‘Tabe‘ Pak Kan did a powerful job of elevating the group’s potential rapidly, regardless of a serious revamp of the roster. High laner Xu ‘Xiaoxu‘ Xing-Zu was the one returning member from 2025. The remaining 4 members have been a mixture of veterans corresponding to Yu ‘JunJia‘ Chun-Chia and Chen ‘GALA‘ Wei, and younger, rising skills like Tsai ‘HongQ‘ Ming-Hong and Zhao ‘Vampire‘ Zhe-Can.

While the group made it to the LPL Cut up 1 finals, JD Gaming finally misplaced but once more to Bilibili Gaming 3-1.

Despite the fact that JD Gaming doesn’t have the strongest particular person gamers, the group has been making up the distinction by way of sturdy teamplay and composure, a typical trait of groups that fall below Tabe’s steerage.

Following the LPL Finals, the group draw for First Stand 2026 has additionally taken place.

With JDG ending because the LPL’s second seed, the group will face LCK’s first seed Gen.G within the first spherical of the group stage on Tuesday, March seventeenth.

Apart from Gen.G, the Chinese language group is in the identical group because the LCS consultant LYON and Brazilian group LOUD. Contemplating Gen.G’s dominance to date this yr, and the overall power of Korean groups, JDG could should contend for second place if it needs to advance.

In accordance with the format, every group should play a double-elimination bracket, that includes Fearless best-of-five sequence. The full prize pool for the occasion is $1m (~£749,660), with the winners taking residence $250,000 (~£187,415).