A chaotic 30-minute battle saw both LPL teams trading blows, with crucial teamfights making all the difference.
The second day of the 2026 League of Legends World Championship Swiss Stage kicked off with an explosive all-LPL showdown between the region's first seed, 
Anyone's Legend (AL), and third seed, 
Top Esports (TES).
Both teams entered the matchup looking to recover from disappointing opening-day defeats, but it was TES who emerged victorious after a bloody 30-minute battle, handing the LPL champions their second consecutive loss at Worlds 2026.
TES came into the competition as one of the underdogs, having faced an unexpected roster setback just weeks before the tournament. Starting top laner 
Cheng “ZUIAN” Zi-Hao was unable to secure a United States visa, forcing the team to bring back veteran Bai “369” Jia-Hao, who had not played competitively in more than six months.
Their Worlds campaign got off to a rough start, with TES suffering a crushing defeat against LCK powerhouse 
Hanwha Life Esports (HLE) in their opening Swiss Stage match.
Meanwhile, AL were also looking to bounce back after an unexpected defeat. Despite entering Worlds as the LPL's first seed following their victory over Bilibili Gaming in the Split 3 grand final, they were stunned by the LEC's third seed, Karmine Corp, who had only recently fought their way through the Play-In Stage.
With both teams sitting at 0-1, neither could afford another setback, especially with a second defeat putting them dangerously close to elimination.
How did Top Esports defeat Anyone's Legend at Worlds 2026?
The match got off to a bloody start, with both teams wasting little time looking for opportunities to disrupt the top and mid lanes. Early skirmishes broke out across the map as TES and AL traded kills, with neither side willing to give their opponents an easy advantage.
TES gradually found ways to pressure AL, although the LPL champions continued to fight back and keep themselves within striking distance. Jungler Gao “Tian” Tian-Liang proved particularly influential on Nocturne, using his ultimate to create opportunities for his teammates and catch AL off guard.
Rather than committing to risky five-on-five teamfights, TES focused on finding smaller advantages across the map. Their approach allowed them to pick off isolated opponents, apply pressure through the top and bot lanes, and gradually build a modest gold lead as the game progressed.
However, AL were far from finished. A crucial teamfight around the dragon pit briefly shifted the momentum in AL's favour, with the LPL champions taking down several TES players. Botlaner Wang “Hope” Jie was especially dangerous on Lucian, dealing heavy damage throughout the engagement and giving his team an opportunity to turn the game around. But just as AL appeared to be gaining the upper hand, TES found a way to respond.
During a subsequent fight around Baron Nashor, 369 stepped up with a decisive play on Ambessa, targeting Hope and locking down the Lucian before he could wreak havoc on the rest of TES. With AL's primary damage threat taken out of the equation early, TES turned their attention towards midlaner Cui “Shanks” Xiao-Jun's Orianna, preventing him from swinging the fight back in AL's favour. The rest of TES followed through, cleaning up the remaining AL players in the river and reclaiming control of the game.
TES continued to push their advantage, once again setting their sights on Baron Nashor. Tian's Nocturne ultimate proved instrumental in the ensuing fight, disrupting AL's positioning and creating another opening for his teammates. Meanwhile, 369's Ambessa continued to cause problems for the LPL champions, making it increasingly difficult for them to find a favourable engagement.
The final blow came during another confrontation around the dragon pit, where TES once again found the upper hand. This time, it was midlaner Lin “Creme” Jian who stole the spotlight on Locke, securing an impressive quadra kill as TES overwhelmed AL in the decisive teamfight. With the LPL champions unable to mount another defence, TES marched straight towards their opponents' base to finish the job. After 30 minutes of relentless fighting, TES destroyed AL's Nexus with an 18-9 kill lead, securing their first victory at Worlds 2026.
The win puts TES at 1-1 in the Swiss Stage, giving the LPL's third seed some much-needed momentum after their difficult start to the tournament. Despite the unexpected roster changes and their opening defeat against HLE, TES have shown that they are still capable of challenging some of the region's strongest teams. They now need two more match victories to advance to the Knockout Stage.
For Anyone's Legend, however, the situation has become increasingly worrying. The LPL champions have now suffered two consecutive losses despite entering Worlds as one of the tournament's strongest contenders.
Sitting at 0-2, AL have no more room for error. They must win their next three matches to keep their Worlds campaign alive and secure a place in the Knockout Stage, with just one more defeat enough to send the LPL's first seed home early.
