On the 7th, the “2026 LCK Cup Media Day” was held at CHZZK LoL Park in Jongno. LCK Secretary General Lee Jeong-hoon, who attended on site, celebrated the accomplishments of 2025 while also emphasizing that the league will continue working to maintain the LCK’s stature in 2026.

Delivering opening remarks, Secretary General Lee highlighted the achievements the LCK made amid many changes over the past year. In the newly introduced international tournament First Stand, Hanwha Life Esports claimed the inaugural championship. Meanwhile, Gen.G Esports—LCK champions under the shift to a single-season format—lifted the MSI trophy for a second consecutive year. At Worlds, T1 also set a rare milestone by achieving a third straight title.

“LCK is working to become global premium content that multiple generations can enjoy together,” Lee said. “2026 will be a year that lays the foundation for a new turning point—a quantum jump.” He added, “We have entered into a strategic partnership with Naver and SOOP from 2026 through 2030. In particular, Naver has joined as an official LCK sponsor and has secured the naming rights to LoL Park.”

According to Secretary General Lee, after making major changes to how the league was operated in 2025, the LCK will focus on strengthening its fundamentals in 2026. As one example, the LCK Cup will introduce Coach Voice on a pilot basis. During the LCK Cup, coaching staff will be able to issue real-time instructions to players while a match is in progress.

Lee concluded by stating his determination: “We will not only ensure that MSI, which will be held in Daejeon in June 2026, is run successfully, but also provide proactive support so the LCK can win the title for a third consecutive year. In addition, 2026 is the year the Aichi–Nagoya Asian Games will be held. The LCK will do its part to help recreate what we achieved at the 2023 Hangzhou Asian Games, where we won the gold medal.”

This article was translated from the original that appeared on INVEN.