MANILA, Philippines (Sep 2026) – The race to represent the Philippines on the global stage is heating up as the Wild Rounds: Pilipinas Open Split 2 for League of Legends: Wild Rift enters its crucial playoff stretch. With 36 teams battling through qualifiers, top Pinoy squads are pushing for a ticket to SMASH 2026 in South Korea this November.
Old legends return to the Rift
One of the biggest headlines of the current split is the return of veteran esports talent to active play. Former League of Legends PC pro Rebengga, who previously coached Bren Esports and Fennel, made his competitive comeback as Jungler for Elder Dragon. Joining forces with teammates Faemon, Yamada, Svante Flynt, and HachM, Rebengga has helped anchor Elder Dragon to a 2-1 standing in Group A, keeping their playoff dreams alive.
Dominant runs and group leaders
The group stage has delivered non-stop action across all brackets. Gensokyo leads Group A with a perfect 3-0 record, while Split 1 standout IIXWR dominates Group B without dropping a match. Over in Group C, Bonus Round maintains an unblemished 3-0 run ahead of UA1 Esports.
These teams build on a fierce first split that established rising Pinoy stars like Kuro from Peekaboo, manila alinam from Cubao Korea, and Karma from IIXWR, all of whom put up massive numbers during their respective group runs.
Creators take center stage
Adding a fresh layer of hype to the tournament, popular content creators will step into the competitive spotlight on September 20 during the Creator Showmatch. Fan favorites including Suzzysaur, Christian Bautista, Shanghigh, Vannybear, Mirmooo, RauxTV, Kitz, Kioko, Eisendhart, and TitoSpicy will face off on the Rift. Five of these creators will earn a spot to represent the country at the SMASH Finals in Korea.
How to catch the action
Qualifying rounds take place on September 10 and 11, paving the way for the main Playoffs from September 18 to 20. Fans can catch live broadcasts and updates on the official Wild Rift social media pages on Facebook, Instagram, and TikTok.
