A quarterfinal matchup between Hanwha Life Esports and T1 has been set.

Following the conclusion of the EWC 2026 LoL Round of 16, the quarterfinal bracket was drawn. The results pit Hanwha Life against T1, AGAL against KC, Gen.G against JD Gaming, and Dplus KIA against BLG.

The biggest talking point of the draw was undoubtedly who would face T1, who advanced as the second seed from their group. Since teams from the same group cannot meet before the finals, T1 was set to face one of the three group winners: Hanwha Life, Gen.G, or AGAL. The draw ultimately paired them with Hanwha Life. While any team aiming for the championship must be prepared to defeat anyone, both sides will likely find this an uncomfortable matchup for the quarterfinals.

Gen.G will face JD Gaming. While JD Gaming is by no means an easy opponent, many experts believe this is a better draw for Gen.G than T1 would have been. Meanwhile, Dplus KIA, who advanced as the second seed from the 'group of death,' will face BLG, who took first place after defeating T1. The quarterfinals are scheduled to begin at 1:00 PM local time on the 17th, with Hanwha Life vs. T1 and AGAL vs. KC taking place simultaneously, followed by Gen.G vs. JD Gaming and BLG vs. Dplus KIA.