Karmine Corp has emerged as the frontrunner from the Play-In bracket after a 3-2 comeback win over Cloud9 and a 3-0 sweep of MVK Esports, positioning the LEC side for the October 18 final against the winner of FURIA versus MVK. Only the Play-In victor advances to the Swiss Stage starting October 23 in Allen, Texas, where 19 teams must secure three wins—via best-of-one then best-of-three formats under Fearless Draft rules—to reach the best-of-five knockout bracket. LCK and LPL squads like Gen.G, Hanwha Life, Bilibili Gaming, and Anyone's Legend enter with superior recent form and historical dominance, while roster stability, patch 26.20 adaptations, and side selection advantages in later Swiss rounds shape advancement odds. Cloud9's early elimination highlights the narrow margin for LCS and wildcard representatives.