The Swiss Stage opened October 23 in Allen, Texas, with all eight Round 1 Bo1 matches won by higher-seeded sides, producing an undefeated group of Gen.G, Hanwha Life Esports, T1, Dplus KIA, Karmine Corp, Movistar KOI, CTBC Flying Oyster, and LYON at 1-0. Round 2 on October 24 pits these teams against the 0-1 sides (including Invictus Gaming, Bilibili Gaming, G2, and Top Esports) in another Bo1 round before the format shifts to Bo3 for elimination and advancement matches under Fearless Draft on patch 26.20. LCK squads enter with the strongest recent international pedigree and regional dominance, giving them the clearest paths to three straight wins and direct quarterfinal qualification, while LPL and LEC teams must navigate tougher early draw matchups and potential momentum swings in a 16-team field where only eight advance after five rounds.