Hanwha Life rally to top Bilibili Gaming, win Mid-Season Invitational

Field Level Media|published: Sun 12th July, 10:18 2026

The loading screen for League of Legends is seen projected on the wall behind the competitors. The loading screen comes up while waiting for the game to start, allowing players to view each characters basic information before the battle. Jan. 24, 2020

Hanwha Life Esports came from behind to defeat Bilibili Gaming on Sunday in the grand final in the League of Legends Mid-Season Invitational in Daejeon, South Korea.

The winners walked away with the $500,000 top prize and an automatic entry in the 2026 World Championship this fall.

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— LoL Esports (@lolesports) July 12, 2026

Hanwha Life opened with a win in 43 minutes on red, but Bilibili took the next two contests in 32 minutes each -- one on red, one on blue. Hanwha Life closed out the tournament with a pair of victories on red in 31 and 36 minutes.

The result could be considered a surprise since Bilibili Gaming posted a 3-1 win over Hanwha Life on Thursday in the upper-bracket final. The forced Hanwha Life to play an extra round in the lower-bracket final, where they defeated LYON 3-2 on Saturday.

Woo-je "Zeus" Choi, a 22-year-old South Korean playing for Hanwha Life, took MVP honors with a 19-23-33 kills-deaths-assists line.

The 2026 World Championship is scheduled to be held Oct. 15-Nov. 14 at three U.S. cities -- Los Angeles, New York and the Dallas suburb of Allen, Texas.

2026 Mid-Season Invitational prize pool:

1. $500,000 -- Hanwha Life Esports

2. $300,000 -- Bilibili Gaming

3. $240,000 -- LYON

4. $200,000 -- G2 Esports

5-6. $160,000 -- T1, Secret Whales

7-8. $110,000 -- FURIA, Top Esports

9. $90,000 -- Team Liquid

10. $70,000 -- Karmine Corp.

11. $60,000 -- Deep Cross Gaming

--Field Level Media

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