Demacia Cup Global Invitational Playoffs Set: Eight Teams, One Bracket, Beijing Awaits

The Swiss Stage of the 2026 Demacia Cup Global Invitational (DCGI) is over, and the eight teams that made it through will meet in a single-elimination knockout bracket in Beijing from October 12 to October 17. The quarterfinal matchups are set, and the winner will be crowned the best team among those that missed out on Worlds 2026.

The tournament's timing adds an extra layer. The Worlds 2026 Play-In Stage begins on October 15, so the DCGI knockouts will overlap with the opening of the biggest event of the year. While the best teams in the world prepare for that stage, the DCGI will crown a champion of its own.

Who made the bracket

The eight qualified teams span four regions, with the LCK and LPL each holding three spots:

The field came out of a 12-team Swiss Stage played online from October 3 to 8. Teams needed two wins to advance, and three losses meant elimination. Round 1 was played in best-of-ones, with best-of-threes from Round 2 onward. Teams that fell to 0-2 had to go through a round-robin stage for one last chance to advance.

The last two spots were settled on October 8. JD Gaming took the final playoff berth by coming back from a game down to beat Natus Vincere 2-1. FlyQuest also advanced that day, eliminating RED Canids 2-0 after recovering from an 0-2 start to the tournament.

RED Canids, GAM Esports, NAVI and Shopify Rebellion are the four teams eliminated after reaching three losses.

Quarterfinal matchups and schedule

The quarterfinals are split across two days. Times below are in Eastern Time and China Standard Time (UTC+8).

The winners of the first two quarterfinals meet in the first semifinal on October 14, and the winners of the other two meet in the second semifinal on October 15. Both semifinals start at 5 AM ET / 5 PM China time. After a rest day on October 16, the Grand Final takes place on October 17 at the same time. There is no lower bracket.

All matches are played at the Beijing JD Esports Center.

A Bo5 Fearless Draft bracket

Every match in the playoffs is a best-of-five under Fearless Draft rules. Once a team picks a champion, it cannot select that champion again for the rest of the series. Over five games, that gradually shrinks the available pool and pushes teams away from their comfort picks.

Side selection also changes as the bracket progresses. In Game 1 of the quarterfinals, teams with the better Swiss Stage record get side selection. From the semifinals onward, side selection for the opening game is decided by a coin flip.

What is at stake

The DCGI may not carry the weight of Worlds, but it offers redemption for teams that narrowly missed the main event, along with a sizeable payout.

Champion's prize at around €76,000, or about $90,000, in line with the ¥600,000 figure reported .

The cross-regional angle

With three LCK teams, three LPL teams and one team each from the LEC and LCS, the bracket offers several cross-regional meetings in the opening round. KT Rolster face Team Vitality, and Team WE take on FlyQuest, while the LCK-versus-LPL pairings of BNK FEARX against JD Gaming and HANJIN BRION against LGD Gaming should provide a direct test of the two Asian leagues' depth. The Bo5 Fearless format gives the best-drafting rosters an edge as a series wears on.

What happens next

The quarterfinals begin on October 12 with BNK FEARX against JD Gaming, followed by KT Rolster against Team Vitality. Team WE vs FlyQuest and HANJIN BRION vs LGD Gaming follow on October 13, with the semifinals on October 14 and 15 and the Grand Final on October 17.