The 'Road to EWC,' the Korean regional qualifier for the League of Legends event at the 2026 Esports World Cup (EWC), begins on May 4. The tournament will run from May 4 to May 26, with matches held every Monday and Tuesday.

A total of four LCK teams will participate in the EWC main event. First, Gen.G Esports will advance directly as the winner of EWC 2025. Additionally, the No. 1 seed team from the 2026 Mid-Season Invitational (MSI) will also receive a direct ticket.

The nine remaining LCK teams will compete in the 'Road to EWC,' with the top two finishers advancing to EWC 2026. The tournament will follow a best-of-three double-elimination format, with the two matches that determine qualification played as best-of-fives.

Seeds for the 'Road to EWC' are determined by the 2026 LCK Round 1 standings. The 8th and 9th seeds will compete in a Play-In, with the winner advancing to face the 1st seed in the first round. Seeds 2 through 7 will be paired against each other in the first round, with higher seeds facing lower seeds.

If a team that earns a spot through the 'Road to EWC' also secures a direct EWC ticket by winning the 2026 MSI, their qualification spot will be passed on to the runner-up of the lower bracket final.