Invictus Gaming defeat Top Esports 3-1 to become the first Worlds 2026 semifinalist.
In the all-Chinese quarterfinal, iG defeated Top Esports 3-1 to reach the final four for the first time since 2019. Yan “Wei” Yang-Wei in particular shaped the series with several unusual jungle picks, while Kang “TheShy” Seung-lok and Song “Rookie” Eui-jin continue their return to the biggest stages at Worlds.
iG Win a Chaotic Game 1
The series opened evenly. Both teams found early kills without either side building a meaningful gold advantage. TheShy delivered the first major statement by solo-killing Bai “369” Jia-Hao’s Ambessa with Gnar, but TES continued to find answers.
Game 1 eventually swung during a fight inside iG’s jungle. TES initially caught Tian “Meiko” Ye’s Nautilus and Rookie’s Syndra, but iG completely turned what appeared to be a losing fight. TheShy teleported in on Gnar, while Zi “JiaQi” Jia-Qi dealt massive damage on Kai’Sa.
The fight became an ace, and the ace gave iG control of the game. JiaQi finished 10/1/10, while Rookie ended 8/2/11. Wei on Qiyana repeatedly created the tempo and openings that allowed iG to take the 1-0 lead. But TES were far from finished.
369 Saves TES in a 47-Minute Thriller
Game 2 became the longest game of Worlds 2026 so far.
TheShy went for one of his trademark experiments, picking Vayne top into 369’s Renekton. On paper, the matchup gave iG additional range and side-lane pressure. Instead, 369 became the most important player in the game.
The teams traded objectives and teamfight wins, while Gao “Tian” Tian-Liang kept TES alive with a Baron steal. iG repeatedly came close to ending the game, including a push into the TES base around the 40-minute mark.
That was when 369 killed both JiaQi’s Yunara and TheShy’s Vayne, preventing what looked like a potential finish. A questionable Condemn from TheShy even pushed Renekton directly toward iG’s carries. TES survived, won another fight later and eventually tied the series after more than 47 minutes. 369 finished the game 6/2/5. It would be the final game of the series where TES truly looked in control
Wei Takes Over the Series
Game 3 became the clearest statement of the night – and Wei was the main reason. Invictus Gaming put him on jungle Jayce, an unusual pick that TES simply could not answer. Early ganks helped Rookie’s Annie gain an advantage over Lin “Creme” Jian’s Yone, while Wei repeatedly created pressure around bot lane
TES invested heavily into shutting down JiaQi’s Zeri. That gave Wei all the space he needed. His accelerated Jayce completely took over during the mid game, dealing huge amounts of damage and finishing 5/0/8 as iG moved to a 2-1 series lead.
Wei then switched to Naafiri in Game 4 – and continued exactly where he had left off. He repeatedly targeted 369’s Aatrox early, helping TheShy’s K’Sante build a lead in top lane, stole the first Drake and secured all three Void Grubs. TES still found some success through Yu “JackeyLove” Wen-bo’s Lucian, but whenever iG managed to remove him from a fight, the team lost a huge amount of its damage.
The decisive battle eventually came around Dragon Soul. iG won comfortably, closed the series 3-1 and became the first team to reach the Worlds 2026 semifinals.
TheShy and Rookie Are Back in the Final Four
For Invictus Gaming, this run has now become far more than just a nice comeback story. The organization is back in the Worlds semifinals for the first time since 2019. Even more remarkably, TheShy and Rookie were both already part of the iG roster that lifted the Summoner’s Cup in 2018. Eight years later, they are together again and only one series away from another Worlds final.
But this iG roster is no longer dependent only on its legendary veterans. Wei was arguably the most important player against TES, JiaQi is playing at his first World Championship and already looks like an established international carry, while Meiko adds another huge amount of experience from major series. That balance is what makes iG dangerous right now. TheShy and Rookie provide the historic star power, while Wei and JiaQi are increasingly creating the biggest differences in the decisive games.
For Top Esports, the tournament ends short of the ultimate goal once again. TES entered the Knockout Stage with a 3-1 Swiss record and had already beaten teams including G2 and BLG. But in the direct Chinese matchup, individual strong moments were not enough. 369 delivered a brilliant Game 2 and JackeyLove still found opportunities in Game 4, but across the full series iG were more flexible, more controlled and significantly stronger in the jungle.
Invictus Gaming will now face the winner of Gen.G against LYON in the semifinals on November 7. No matter who awaits them there, iG are no longer just the nostalgic story of TheShy and Rookie. The 2018 world champions are genuine title contenders again.