Week 2 of the 2026 LCK Cup delivered heightened parity, longer games and a tightened race between the tournament’s two groups, reinforcing the event’s reputation as one of the most competitive starts to a season in recent memory.

Inter-group play between the Baron Group and the Elder Group ended evenly, with each side claiming 10 wins through two weeks of competition. The balance was reflected on the Rift, where multiple teams erased deficits exceeding 10 kills and pushed series deep into deciding games.

Riot Games, which operates the League of Legends Champions Korea, said matches were held from Jan. 21–25 at LoL Park in Seoul’s Jongno district. Every match day concluded with a split result between the two groups, leaving neither side with a standings advantage heading into the next phase.

2026 LCK Cup Week 2 Overview

The Baron Group saw clear separation at the top, as Gen.G Esports and T1 both extended perfect records to 4–0. Gen.G dispatched BNK FearX and Dplus KIA in straight sets, continuing a long-running streak of success against Dplus KIA in official competition. T1 matched that pace with comeback-driven wins, including a dramatic series against KT Rolster highlighted by a late-game turnaround after falling far behind in kills and gold.

Momentum also shifted in the Elder Group, where Hanwha Life Esports rebounded from an 0–2 opening week to finish Week 2 undefeated. The turnaround helped stabilize the Elder Group, which otherwise saw most teams split their matches as the standings compressed.

Competitive balance translated directly into longer games. Week 2 featured three more full-set series than the opening week, and the average game time per set increased by roughly four minutes. Ten games surpassed the 35-minute mark, more than doubling Week 1’s total. Teams increasingly leaned toward late-scaling compositions, extending contests and placing greater emphasis on execution in the final stages.

With both groups tied entering Super Week, every matchup now carries added weight. Teams will face opponents of identical seeding from the opposite group, with wins awarding two points to both the team and its group. As the LCK Cup progresses, Week 2’s results suggest the margin for error is narrowing across the field, setting the stage for a decisive stretch ahead.