the real Worlds 2026 meta is sleep management

Worlds 2026 starts October 15 and the schedule is out. Play-In in Los Angeles Oct 15 to 18, Swiss Stage in Allen, Texas Oct 23 to 31, knockouts Nov 3 to 14, final in Brooklyn on November 14.

I'm in Cebu, same clock as China, so here's what that looks like. Play-In days start at 2 AM. Swiss Stage days at 1 AM, and the later ones at 4 AM. Quarters and semis at 6 AM. The final at 3 AM. Korea is an hour ahead, so LCK fans get 3 AM, 2 AM, 5 AM, 7 AM and a 4 AM final.

Korea and China sent four teams each out of 19, so the two biggest crowds for this game will watch the whole thing half asleep. I get that it rotates and this is the US turn. Still, every year I promise myself I'll watch everything live, and every year I end up catching VODs at lunch. Plan this time: bed at 8 PM on match days like a farmer, alarm for every Bo3 in the Swiss Stage, coffee ready the night before. The players are going to be fine, it's us who need the luck.