Bilibili Gaming (BLG) won the 2026 First Stand tournament after defeating G2 Esports 3-1 in the grand final, securing the organisation’s first international League of Legends title. According to a release, the final took place on March 22nd at Riot Games Arena in São Paulo, Brazil. The result also made Park ‘Viper’ Do-hyeon, Bot Laner for Bilibili Gaming, the first player to win First Stand in back-to-back years, having lifted the trophy in 2025 with Hanwha Life Esports.

BLG’s title win also carried competitive implications beyond the trophy itself. As a result of the organisation’s victory, the League of Legends Pro League (LPL) earned a seeding benefit for the upcoming Mid-Season Invitational (MSI), with the region’s second seed set to skip the Play-In Stage and advance directly to the Bracket Stage.

The series opened with G2 taking the first map, as Rasmus ‘Caps’ Borregaard Winther, Mid Laner for G2 Esports, delivered a deathless performance to give the EMEA side an early advantage. However, BLG responded in game two by leaning on global pressure through Pantheon and Galio, levelling the series at one apiece. From there, the Chinese team gained control of the final, taking game three through strong laning performances from Zhuo ‘knight’ Ding, Mid Laner for Bilibili Gaming, and Chen ‘Bin’ Zebin, Top Laner for Bilibili Gaming.

Game four initially looked set to go G2’s way after the European team built an early lead. That changed following a decisive fight near the dragon pit, where BLG swung the momentum back in its favour. Bin then helped close the series by quickly eliminating G2 Bot Laner Steven ‘Hans Sama’ Liv during the deciding push. Bin was later named OPPO Player of the Series.

BLG opens 2026 with a landmark win

The title marked a milestone for Bilibili Gaming, which had not previously won an international event since the organisation’s founding. For Viper, the result added another accolade to an already decorated career. Winning First Stand with two different organisations in consecutive years underlined the player’s consistency across the international stage.

The tournament itself also served as the first international League of Legends event of 2026, giving regions an early indication of where they stood ahead of MSI and the rest of the season.

Gen.G and BNK FEARX showed promise despite early exits

Although League of Champions Korea (LCK) representatives Gen.G and BNK FEARX did not reach the final, both teams showed they could compete internationally. Gen.G exited in the semifinals after losing to eventual runner-up G2. Prior to that, the team had looked like one of the strongest sides at the event, carrying momentum from its unbeaten LCK Cup run and posting solid results in the earlier stages of the tournament.

BNK FEARX, meanwhile, impressed in its international debut. According to the release, the team pushed eventual champion BLG to a full series and also swept Team Secret Whales 3-0. One of the standout individual performances came from Nam ‘Diable’ Dae-geun, Bot Laner for BNK FEARX, who recorded a pentakill against both BLG and Team Secret Whales during the event. That showing helped elevate BNK FEARX’s profile despite its early exit.

While First Stand ended with an LPL victory, the event also offered encouragement for the LCK’s depth. Gen.G entered as a contender, while BNK FEARX emerged as one of the tournament’s bigger surprises. With First Stand now complete, attention will turn to MSI, where BLG’s win has already handed the LPL a valuable advantage in the tournament format.