Rookie and TheShy return as IG secure LPL's final Worlds spot
Invictus Gaming defeated JD Gaming 3-1 in the LPL 2026 Regional Finals lower-bracket final, securing the league's fourth and final seed for the League of Legends World Championship 2026. Rookie and TheShy will return to …
Source: Esports Insider
Invictus Gaming booked its ticket to the League of Legends World Championship on Saturday, 19 September, taking down JD Gaming 3-1 in the lower-bracket final of the LPL 2026 Regional Finals. The win hands IG the league's fourth and last seed for Worlds 2026 — and delivers another painful near-miss for JDG, who now finish third at the event for the third year running.
IG joins Anyone's Legend, Bilibili Gaming and Top Esports as the LPL's representatives at the tournament.
How the Series Unfolded
IG came out swinging in the opener, closing the game in 33 minutes with an 11-3 kill lead. JiaQi powered the effort on Tristana with six kills and two assists, while Rookie added four kills and five assists on Syndra, dying just once.
Game two put IG up 2-0. Wei controlled the early game on Qiyana as IG built a commanding lead before locking in Dragon Soul and Baron. That win also saw JiaQi post nine kills and five assists on Ezreal, with Wei contributing five kills and 10 assists on Qiyana, and Rookie chipping in five kills and 11 assists on Aurora.
JDG pushed back in game three, grinding out a 34-minute victory to cut the series to 2-1 behind Junjia's 11 kills and 11 assists on Trundle. But IG regrouped and sealed the series in game four, claiming the final Worlds berth.
The road was anything but easy for IG. They first dropped into the lower bracket after falling 3-1 to Top Esports in the upper-bracket final, while JDG earned their spot in the decider by beating Team WE in the lower-bracket semifinals.
The LPL's Four Seeds for Worlds 2026
IG heads to Worlds as the fourth seed from the LPL. Per Inven Global's report on the region's representatives, the seeding stands as follows:
| Seed | LPL Team |
|---|---|
| 1 | Anyone's Legend |
| 2 | Bilibili Gaming |
| 3 | Top Esports |
| 4 | Invictus Gaming |
JDG's season isn't quite over, though. The team will compete at the 2026 Demacia Cup Global Invitational alongside Team WE, who finished fourth at the Regional Finals.
What's Next
All four LPL squads open their Worlds 2026 runs in the Swiss Stage, which runs in Allen, Texas, from 23 to 31 October. For IG, the 3-1 win marks a return to the World Championship stage — with Rookie and TheShy both set to appear at the event with the team.
Source: Esports Insider
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