Worlds 2026 Pick'Ems and Crystal Ball are open — Play-In picks lock 14 October
Riot has opened Worlds 2026 Pick'Ems and the Crystal Ball prediction game, and Play-In picks have to be in by 14 October, the day before the tournament starts in Los Angeles. It is a fan event rather than a ranked change, but Worlds is played on patch 26.20 — the same patch you are climbing on until 26.21 lands on 21 October.
- Pick'Ems and Crystal Ball opened on 10 October at 4 pm PDT and run through every stage of Worlds 2026
- Play-In picks: submit by 14 October; the Worlds primer says they lock just before the first match on 15 October
- Swiss picks open 18 October and lock 23 October; Knockout picks open 31 October and lock 3 November
- Scores are finalised after the final on 14 November and Riot aims to deliver rewards within 48 hours
- Riot promises new rewards for both games but has not listed them yet
- Worlds runs 15 October to 14 November on patch 26.20, the current ranked patch
Worlds week starts on Thursday
Riot opened Pick'Ems and the Crystal Ball on 10 October, and the first Play-In match in Los Angeles is on 15 October. The announcement gives you until 14 October to get a full Play-In bracket in; the Worlds primer puts the hard lock just before the first game.
How the two games work
- Pick'Ems: you predict the results stage by stage. Picks re-open before the Swiss stage on 18 October and before the Knockouts on 31 October, and lock before the first match of each stage (23 October and 3 November).
- Crystal Ball: a second prediction game that is scored only once the tournament is over, with performance-based tier rewards delivered on or around 14 November.
- Rewards: Riot says both games come back with new rewards but has not listed them. Scores are finalised after the final on 14 November, rewards should follow within about 48 hours, and Riot asks you to contact Player Support if nothing has arrived by 21 November.
What it means for your ranked games
Nothing changes in the queue. Worlds is played on 26.20, the patch Riot itself calls the Worlds patch, and solo queue stays on it until 26.21 arrives on 21 October. What usually changes is the meta: pro picks from the Play-Ins tend to show up in solo queue within days, so the 26.20 champion changes are worth a second look before you queue.
Dates at a glance
- Play-Ins: 15–18 October, Los Angeles
- Swiss stage: 23–26 and 28–31 October, Allen, Texas
- Quarterfinals: 3–6 November, Allen; semifinals 7–8 November
- Final: 14 November, Brooklyn, New York
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