First Stand 2026 kicks off in São Paulo, Brazil, on March 16. Here are the FST 2026 Teams Power rankings, voted by three of our members on the editorial team (Davide, Ilyas, and Luca).

First Stand 2026 Teams Power Rankings

JD Gaming (average: 3.33)

After a disastrous 2025, JDG knew small changes wouldn’t be enough. This roster needed a reset, and the organization fully committed to a rebuild built around youth and upside. Zhao “Vampire” Zhe-Can and Tsai “HongQ” Ming-Hong are the clearest examples of that approach, two young players with very different stories but equally important roles in JDG’s new identity.

Vampire’s early tier-one career did not inspire much confidence. His time on IG and EDG was rough, and there were real questions about whether he could ever develop into a top-level player. Under Wong “Tabe” Pak Kan, though, he has taken a clear step forward and now looks far more stable than he once did.

HongQ, on the other hand, has looked special ever since his debut with CTBC Flying Oyster, and during this split he was the only player who could genuinely go toe-to-toe with Knight in lane.

Xu “Xiaoxu” Xing-Zu is probably the biggest surprise of this team. He never truly broke out in his previous teams and even during last year with JDG, but Tabe’s arrival revived his career and turned him into one of the best top laners in the LPL. Yu “JunJia” Chun-Chia, meanwhile, remains more of a concern after an inconsistent Split 1 where several of JDG’s losses were tied to his shaky performances.

And then there is Chen “GALA” Wei. A two-time MSI champion and one of the most proven carries in the field, he gives this roster the experience and firepower it needs when games start to slip. JDG should be aiming for a top-three finish at First Stand 2026, but with teams like BNK FearX and G2 Esports in the mix, they are not untouchable.

Bilibili Gaming (average: 2.00)

The Chinese superteam is likely the only one capable of challenging the team at the top of the list. BLG did not have their best split this year, as the roster struggled to fully sync during LPL Split 1. However, when a lineup features such strong individual players, raw talent alone can sometimes be enough to overcome those issues.

The player who has stood out the most so far is undoubtedly mid laner Zhuo “Knight” Ding, who has consistently delivered strong performances in nearly every match. After a difficult year with JD Gaming, jungler Peng “Xun” Li-Xun returned to BLG, and the move has paid off so far, as the team’s results have noticeably improved compared to the previous Beichuan–Shad0w jungle couple.

The bot lane duo of Park “Viper” Do-hyeon and Luo “ON” Wen-Jun has been extremely solid so far, consistently shutting down opponents both in the laning phase and in teamfights.

The player who initially struggled the most was top laner Chen “Bin” Ze-Bin, who even temporarily stepped away from the team after a dispute with a manager. Fortunately for BLG, those issues did not last long. The team quickly stabilized and eventually managed to dominate the LPL.

Gen.G (average: 1.00)

If there’s a team to be be scared of, it’s undoubtedly Gen.G. For years they have looked like probably the strongest team in the world, and they arrive at First Stand 2026 as the clear favorites. On paper, this roster appears to have virtually no weak points.

In the top lane, Kim “Kiin” Gi-in provides incredible reliability, capable of playing both weak side and carry roles. His consistency allows the rest of the map to operate with far more freedom. In the mid lane, Jeong “Chovy” Ji-hoon is widely considered one of the best if not the best player in the world, a mechanical powerhouse who almost always delivers strong performances.

In the jungle, Kim “Canyon” Geon-bu continues to demonstrate why he has been one of the most dominant players in the role for years. Ever since his time with Damwon KIA, Canyon has consistently set the standard for jungle play in the LCK and on the international stage.

Gen.G’s bot lane combines experience and youthful energy, with Park “Ruler” Jae-hyuk paired alongside Joo “Duro” Min-kyu. The duo dominated most bot lanes throughout the LCK, with only a few opponents, such as Diable and Kellin, occasionally managing to contain them.

Despite their dominance, Gen.G have historically struggled to fully translate their domestic success onto the international stage. Several times they have fallen short of expectations when the pressure was highest. Chovy, in particular, has often been at the center of that narrative. The big question now is whether they can finally overcome that hurdle and deliver at First Stand 2026.

The rest of the Teams Power Rankings

• 4th: G2 Esports (average 4,00)
• 5th: BNK FearX (average 4,67)
• 6th: LYON (average 6,00)
• 7th: Team Secret Whales (average 7,00)
• 8th: LOUD (average 8,00)

The third place mostly is looking very contestable at this tournament, for sure teams like BNK FearX, a very young team with almost no international experience and G2 can fight for it. Hopes are high for LEC’s first seed as they showed already at Worlds 2025 that they are capable of beating even teams like BLG. LYON are probably a step ahead of TSW and LOUD, but still they don’t look solid enough to challenge the high ranked teams.

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