The 2026 Demacia Cup Global Invitational (DCGI) kicked off on October 3. All three LCK representatives—KT Rolster, BNK FearX, and Hanjin BRION—secured victories in Round 1 to advance to the Round 2 winners' bracket.
Title contenders KT Rolster faced Shopify Rebellion in Round 1. The game proceeded quietly in the early to mid-game, but snowballed rapidly following a solo kill by 'PerfecT' Lee Seung-min. PerfecT's K'Sante joined a near-disastrous mid-lane skirmish to unilaterally pick up two kills, and later showed off dominant presence during a Rift Herald fight by holding off three opponents solo.
KT Rolster pressed Shopify Rebellion while putting K'Sante and 'Bdd' Gwak Bo-seong's Ryze in side lanes. They took a surprise Baron, during which K'Sante smoothly dodged the enemy's aggressive play in the bottom lane and survived. With control firmly in hand, KT Rolster used their superior firepower to claim a clean first victory.
BNK FearX squared off against Team Vitality. Playing to their composition's strengths, BNK FearX got off to a smooth start by securing priority across all lanes. They scored solo kills in mid and bot, building a global gold lead. Team Vitality fought back through skirmishes, scoring points in rotational plays and objective fights to press BNK FearX.
However, retaining overall control, BNK FearX preserved their lead by repeatedly executing successful plays in the side lanes. A desperate Team Vitality immediately rushed Baron after picking off 'Kellin' Kim Hyeong-gyu's Bard, but were wiped out by a ferocious counterattack from BNK FearX's remaining squad. Empowered by the Baron buff, BNK FearX closed out the match.
Hanjin BRION staged a comeback victory against JD Gaming. JD Gaming built early advantages by smartly utilizing global ultimates on Pantheon and Twisted Fate alongside Yorick's Teleport. However, Hanjin BRION bought critical time thanks to stacking two early Dragons, ultimately turning the tide in the fifth Dragon fight to complete the comeback.
With these results, all three LCK teams placed themselves in the Round 2 winners' bracket. Following the Round 2 draw, KT Rolster will face RED Canids Kalunga, Hanjin BRION will play Team WE, and BNK FearX will battle LGD Gaming. In the losers' bracket, Natus Vincere faces FlyQuest, GAM Esports plays Team Vitality, and Shopify Rebellion goes up against JD Gaming.
The Round 2 winners' bracket begins at 4:00 PM KST on October 4. The three teams that win their matches to reach two total victories will advance directly to the Knockout Stage, while the losing teams will move to Round 3. The Round 2 losers' bracket will be played starting at 4:00 PM KST on October 5.
