Team Liquid Alienware triumphed over Anyone’s Legend with a score of 2-0, eliminating the LPL’s top seed from the Swiss Stage of Worlds 2026 without allowing them a single game win. This victory preserves the chances for the LCS champions, setting the stage for a decisive match against LOS on October 30.
Entering Worlds 2026 as the premier seed from China, Anyone’s Legend faced an abrupt end as Team Liquid Alienware struck decisively in a match that began at 15:55 CDT.
The first game was dominated by Liquid, who played from the red side, finishing it in just 33 minutes and 13 seconds with a strong 16-5 kill advantage. Morgan, the top laner, recorded an impressive 7/1/6 scoreline on Camille. The second game turned out to be a more protracted affair, lasting 47 minutes before Liquid clinched the series, with Yeon’s Xayah instrumental in their success.
This defeat marked a significant downturn for Anyone’s Legend, who had already fallen to Karmine Corp and Top Esports in earlier best-of-one matches leading up to their clash with Liquid. Such an exit has never occurred before for a Chinese top seed at Worlds, according to Dot Esports. Moreover, this marks the second consecutive Worlds event where the LPL’s top seed was unable to qualify beyond the Swiss Stage, following Bilibili Gaming’s exit in Round 5 during 2025.
Both Anyone’s Legend and Team Secret Whales were the first teams to be knocked out, finishing jointly in 15th-16th place, each earning US$90,000 from a total prize pool of US$5,000,000. Earlier that day, LOS had also advanced by defeating Team Secret Whales, the top seed from LCP, with a 2-0 victory, marking Brazil’s inaugural win in the Swiss Stage.
Liquid returns to a familiar arena against LPL foes
The implications of this match extend beyond merely this tournament. Notably, the last time the LCS secured a series victory against an LPL team was also thanks to Team Liquid, who overcame Invictus Gaming in the MSI 2019 semi-finals.
Liquid entered Worlds as the LCS’s top seed after defeating LYON 3-1 in the Summer grand final on October 4. However, their journey through the Swiss Stage began poorly, with losses against CTBC Flying Oyster and Bilibili Gaming placing them on the brink of elimination before they faced Anyone’s Legend.
One more victory keeps Liquid’s hopes alive
This clean sweep positions Liquid at ninth place with a series record of 1-2 and a game record of 2-2. According to the Swiss format, teams must achieve three match wins to advance to the Knockout Stage and will be eliminated after three losses. Elimination and advancement matches follow a best-of-three format with a Fearless Draft.
This makes Liquid’s upcoming series crucial for their progress.
Following this match, the schedule shows Hanwha Life Esports facing G2 Esports at 18:00 CDT.
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