BLG defeated T1 3-1 in the League of Legends Worlds 2026 semi-finals in Allen, Texas, according to Insider Gaming. The victory sends BLG into the Grand Final against Gen.G on Saturday, November 14, at Barclays Center in New York.

The result also ended Lee 'Faker' Sang-hyeok's 13-year record of winning 13 consecutive Best of 5 series against the LPL, marking a change in the region's history against T1.

T1 had repeatedly prevented Chinese League of Legends teams from reaching the top of international competition. Faker previously defeated Anyone's Legend in the Worlds 2025 quarter-finals and recovered from a 1-2 deficit against BLG in the Worlds 2024 Finals to secure his fifth Worlds trophy.

This time, BLG managed to overcome T1 despite Faker delivering T1's strongest individual performance throughout the series. BLG maintained consistent pressure through the top side and executed well-timed engagements to secure Games 3 and 4.

Luo 'ON' Wen-Jun's Seraphine ultimate in Game 4 was highlighted by the source as a memorable moment for the region.

The upcoming final also gives BLG an opportunity to secure the LPL's first Worlds championship since EDG's 2021 victory. A win would also make Zhuo 'Knight' Ding the first Chinese mid-laner to win Worlds. Previous victories by IG, FPX, and EDG all featured imported Korean mid-laners.

T1's Worlds performance had previously made it difficult to assess the team's overall season before the tournament concluded. However, the semi-final elimination means the team finishes 2026 without a trophy for the first time since 2021.

Across the year, T1 reached at least fourth place in every listed competition, with its lowest placement being fifth to sixth at MSI 2026.

The team's results throughout the 2026 season were:

2026 results were:

• LCK Cup: 4th
• MSI 2026: 5th-6th
• Esports World Cup 2026: 4th
• LCK 2026: 3rd
• Worlds 2026: 3rd-4th

Following the team's trophyless season, discussions about potential roster changes for 2027 have focused on Choi 'Doran' Hyeon-jun and Mun 'Oner' Hyeon-jun.

Doran struggled against Chen 'Bin' Ze-Bin during the semi-final series, with Bin consistently outperforming him in the top lane. This led T1 to make sacrifices elsewhere to compensate for the matchup.

Meanwhile, Choi 'Zeus' Woo-je's future has also become a talking point. Before Worlds 2026 concluded, reports from Korea revealed that Zeus would explore his value in the free-agent market after rejecting a renewal deal with Hanwha Life Esports.

Zeus previously won Worlds in 2023 and 2024 with T1. However, the new LCK salary cap rules scheduled for implementation in 2027 add another factor to consider when assessing a potential return.

Oner also faced criticism for his performances throughout the season and the semi-final series. He was temporarily benched in August and repeatedly over-engaged during the latter half of the series against BLG, making it more difficult for T1 to execute team fights effectively.