Source: KeSPA

The Korea e-Sports Association (KeSPA) announced on Tuesday, the 7th, that it will hold the official kickoff ceremony for the '2026 School League' on Saturday, the 11st, at the Daejeon Esports Arena in Yuseong, Daejeon.

The School League is a regular inter-school tournament introduced this year, operated based on esports infrastructure established within schools. It was designed to allow aspiring professional esports players to receive professional training and continue their development without leaving their schools. Participating teams consist of school representative teams approved by their respective principals.

The 2026 School League kickoff ceremony will be held as an official side event of the '2026 LoL Mid-Season Invitational' (2026 MSI). The ceremony will feature 14 schools from across the country that are participating in the second-semester regular season: #1 Mirae Industry Science High School and Eunpyeong Meditech High School (Seoul region); #2 Tongjin High School (Gyeonggi/Incheon region); #3 Gyeryong Digitech High School (Chungcheong region); #4 Mokpo Yeonghwa Middle School, Yeosu Technical High School, Korea Game Science High School, and Korea Science and Technology High School (Honam region); and #5 Gyeongnam Electronics High School, Gyeongnam Information High School, Gyeongnam Tourism High School, Busan Daeyang High School, Masan Jungang High School, and Busan Computer Science High School (Yeongnam region).

The first-semester preseason, which began on Thursday, May 14, is now down to its final match in League of Legends (LoL). The final will be held on the day of the kickoff ceremony. Eunpyeong Meditech High School and Korea Game Science High School advanced to the final through the semifinals held on Saturday, the 4th, and both schools will earn the opportunity to compete on the professional development stage by joining the second-half LCK Academy Series (LCK AS).

Various side events are also planned. The Riot Games developer talk concert will feature Matthew Leung-Harrison, Lead Gameplay Designer for LoL, and Paul Bellezza, Executive Producer for LoL, alongside popular influencers such as Lee Sang-ho and Kim Min-kyo. The program will be conducted in the form of lectures and talk concerts for students interested in pursuing careers in the esports industry.

Additionally, a regional rivalry match will take place between Daejeon, the host city of the 2026 MSI, and the neighboring province of South Chungcheong. Gyeryong Digitech High School, representing Daejeon, and Cheonan Middle School, representing South Chungcheong, will compete, adding excitement to the regional rivalry and further energizing the atmosphere at the venue.

The 2026 School League second-semester regular season will begin in late August and run through November. After the regular season concludes, the final winning team will be determined through the national middle and high school tournament playoffs and finals. The operating format for the LoL category will change starting in the second semester, shifting from the first semester's group league format to a full round-robin format among all participating teams.

The 2026 School League is hosted by the Ministry of Culture, Sports and Tourism, organized by the Korea e-Sports Association, and sponsored by KRAFTON, Riot Games, Samsung, Micronics, and the Korea Creative Content Agency. Live broadcasts can be viewed on the KeSPA School Esports Channel, and related news can be found on the School Esports Instagram.