First Stand 2026: LPL Teams Preview – Can BLG and JDG restore China’s international success?

The LPL representatives for First Stand (FST) 2026 are hoping to deliver stronger results than last year, as 2025 was not the most successful season for the region. During the inaugural edition, Top Esports (TES) had a disappointing run, losing almost every game of the tournament. Will things be better this year by having two squads in the competition? Let’s see how both BiliBili Gaming (BLG) and JD Gaming (JDG) are looking heading into FST.

Bilibili Gaming: From early struggles to LPL champions

BLG’s start to the 2026 season has been somewhat disappointing, in a way similar to G2’s struggles in Europe. Despite boasting one of the strongest rosters in the LPL on paper, after picking up former Hanwha Life Esports ADC Park “Viper” Do-hyeon and bringing back jungler Peng “Xun” Li-xun, the team has faced several difficulties early in the year.

Problems began after two losses to JD Gaming, which reportedly triggered internal tensions within the organization. Shortly after those defeats, BLG promoted academy top laner Yang “Wenbo” Wen-Bo to the main roster amid rumors that Chen “Bin” Ze-Bin could leave the team following an argument with management.

Their regular season was far from the dominance many expected. The team finished 6–4 in Group Ascend, suffering a 0–2 loss to JDG and dropping games against both Anyone’s Legends (AL) and Top Esports (TES). While the record itself was not disastrous, the team showed clear issues in terms of macro coordination and mid-game decision-making.

Throughout the split, BLG frequently built significant early gold leads, only to throw them away later in the game. A perfect example came in Game 1 of their semifinal against JDG. Despite holding an 8k gold advantage, BLG conceded the Hextech Soul and ultimately lost the game during an Elder Dragon fight, where Yu “JunJia” Chun-Chia out-smited Peng “Xun” Li-Xun to secure the comeback victory for JDG.

Despite those moments, BLG secured a convincing 3-1 victory against JDG in the LPL Grand Final, as Bin decided it was time for his team to lift the trophy. An insane showing from the top laner in the final earned him the finals MVP title.

JDG – Another Coach Tabe’s miraculous project

JDG is yet another Coach Wong “Tabe” Pak Kan’s miracle. Following JDG’s disastrous 2025 campaign, the coach rebuilt a new roster around Xu “Xiaoxu” Xing-Zu, pairing him with youngsters like Zhao “Vampire” Zhe-Can and Tsai “HongQ” Ming-Hong and veterans Yu “JunJia” Chun-Chia and Chen “GALA” Wei.

While their regular season was neither exciting nor delusional, ending in 4th place in Group Ascend, JDG started pulling off impressive performances in playoffs, forcing BLG to a five-game series in the upper bracket and eliminating Anyone’s Legend, one of the top favorites to fight for the title.

Despite losing the Grand Final to BLG, JDG will head to First Stand 2026 as the LPL’s second seed. The tournament will mark the first international appearance for both Vampire and Xiaoxu, while young prodigy HongQ continues his streak of qualifying for every international event since making his Tier 1 debut in 2025.

What Can We Expect from the First Stand LPL Representatives?

When it comes to Chinese teams at international events, expectations are always high. However, last year’s First Stand was a major disappointment for the LPL, as Top Esports (TES) delivered one of the worst international showings in the region’s history.

On paper, BLG are likely the only team capable of challenging Gen.G at this tournament. While they still appear a step below the Korean first seed, especially when it comes to composure and consistency, it’s the only roster with enough firepower to match them in every single role. For Viper, this will also be the opportunity to prove he made the right choice by moving back to China, the region where he lifted his first and only World Championship.

JDG, instead, relies a lot on teamplay, a signature characteristic of Tabe-led squads. Their goal should be to finish in the top-three finish, beating teams like BNK FearX and G2, but most importantly, proving they can continue to raise their potential.