League of Legends fans will have more than just the MSI 2026 trophy race to follow this year. Riot Games has officially brought back Pick’Ems for the Mid-Season Invitational, giving players another chance to test their esports knowledge and walk away with exclusive in-game rewards.
MSI 2026 will take place in Daejeon, South Korea, with the Play-In Stage running from June 28 to July 1 and the Bracket Stage running from July 3 to July 12. Riot describes this year’s event as a rivalry-driven tournament where the best teams from every region fight for the MSI title and extra World Championship stakes.
How MSI 2026 Pick’Ems Work
Pick’Ems powered by AWS will let fans predict tournament results through LoLEsports.com or directly inside the League of Legends client. As usual, the better your predictions are, the better your rewards become. Even casual fans who only participate during the Play-In or Bracket Stage will still get something for locking in their picks.
For MSI 2026, participation alone rewards players with the exclusive El Tigre Braum “Pinfall” emote. Players who finish in the top 50 percent will receive the exclusive Zenith Games Blitzcrank “Settle the Score” icon on top of the participation reward. Those who climb into the top 25 percent will also unlock the exclusive Janitor Thresh and Zac “Clean Up” emote, along with the previous rewards.
The biggest prize is reserved for perfect Pick’Ems. Anyone who manages to predict the tournament flawlessly will earn Broken Covenant Jhin, the Jhin champion, and every reward from the earlier tiers. That makes it one of the most valuable Pick’Ems reward tracks Riot has offered for MSI so far.
MSI 2026 Crystal Ball Makes Its Debut
The bigger surprise this year is Crystal Ball. Riot confirmed that Crystal Ball, powered by AWS, is coming to MSI for the first time, expanding the prediction game beyond match winners. Instead of only choosing which teams advance, fans will also predict tournament meta trends, player performances, and other major moments before the event begins.
Riot says four Crystal Ball predictions will resolve after Play-Ins, while the remaining 16 will resolve once MSI 2026 ends. That gives fans a longer-running reason to follow the tournament closely, especially if their regular Pick’Ems bracket gets destroyed early.
Players who lock in their Crystal Ball predictions before the first match on June 28 will receive the exclusive “Doesn’t Look Good” Smolder emote. This reward is tied to participation, so fans do not need to predict everything perfectly just to claim it.
Broken Covenant Jhin Gets The MSI Spotlight
Broken Covenant Jhin is also playing a major role in MSI 2026 outside of Pick’Ems. Riot confirmed that the skin has been selected as the official LoL Esports revenue-share champion skin for the event. The skin will be available for 1350 RP, with additional bundle options also planned. A portion of the proceeds from Broken Covenant Jhin and MSI Winner offerings will be shared with LoL Esports teams competing in 2026.
Full MSI 2026 Pick’Ems Reward Breakdown
The MSI 2026 Pick’Ems reward track starts with the Pinfall Braum emote for participation. Finishing in the top 50 percent adds the Settle the Score Blitzcrank icon. Reaching the top 25 percent unlocks the Clean Up Thresh and Zac emote. Perfect Picks reward players with Broken Covenant Jhin, Jhin as a champion unlock, and all previous rewards.
Fans who lock their predictions will receive the Doesn’t Look Good Smolder emote.
MSI is already one of the most exciting League of Legends tournaments of the year, but Pick’Ems and Crystal Ball should make every draft, upset, and surprise champion pick feel even more important. Whether fans are chasing a perfect bracket or just grabbing the participation rewards, Riot has added a solid layer of interaction to the tournament.
