Riot Announces Worlds 2026 Schedule and Venue Details

Riot Games has revised the start times for several Worlds 2026 stages and released separate spectator rules for the Texas rounds and the New York final. Swiss, quarterfinals and semifinals will be held at the Credit Union of Texas Event Center in Allen, while the November 14 final takes place at Barclays Center in Brooklyn. Anyone heading to either site should review that venue’s rules on its own, since bag sizes, sign policies, age guidance and re-entry terms do not match.

Play-Ins in Los Angeles kick off at 11 AM PDT. In Texas, Swiss begins at 12 PM CDT on October 23-26, shifts to 3 PM CDT for October 28-30, then returns to 12 PM CDT on October 31. Quarterfinals and semifinals are scheduled for November 3-8 at 4 PM CST, and the New York final starts at 2 PM EST on November 14. Each time is listed in its host city’s zone, so remote viewers and travelers should convert the time for each individual stage rather than applying one offset to the entire tournament.

Entry limits differ between Texas and New York

Texas allows small bags measuring under 4.5 by 8.5 inches, plus medium clear bags up to 14 by 14 by 6 inches. Barclays bans bags over 10 by 6 by 2 inches and any hard-sided bag, with exceptions for documented medical or special-needs cases. Re-entry varies as well: Texas wristbands permit it from October 23-31 but not during the November 3-8 knockout rounds, whereas Barclays offers no re-entry for the final.

Age requirements also need checking venue by venue. In Texas, anyone under 14 must be accompanied by an adult aged 19 or older, and children under 2 do not need a ticket. At Barclays, children under 13 need an adult aged 18 or older, and attendees under 18 are strongly advised to come with a parent or legal guardian. Costumes change none of this: everyone attending in cosplay still needs a valid ticket.

Plan ahead for cameras, signs and costumes

Both venues ban professional or interchangeable-lens cameras, along with tripods, monopods, gimbals, flashes and selfie sticks. Personal phone recording is allowed unless staff say otherwise, but unauthorized livestreaming is not. A compact phone rig may therefore get through where a creator’s larger production setup would not. Staff at the entrance have the final say.

Texas accepts signs up to 60cm by 60cm, and LED signs are fine if they comply with the rules. Barclays caps signs at 11 by 17 inches and bars LEDs entirely. Both venues require lightweight, event-related material that one person can carry without blocking views, and neither allows poles or sticks. A banner that clears security in Allen could still be turned away in Brooklyn, even with identical wording.

Cosplay is welcome within a shared safety framework. Face coverings and face paint are prohibited, since attendees need to stay identifiable and keep clear vision. Costumes must fit within 1.2m wide, 1.8m long and 2.4m tall. Swords and bladed props must be blunt, lightweight and non-metallic, and realistic firearms or working projectile weapons are banned. Worbla and 3D-printed props are accepted only if they also meet the broader restrictions.

The key takeaway is to pack for the exact ticketed stage. Start time, time zone, bag size and re-entry rules all change along the route. Recheck Riot’s official policy page before you travel, since venue staff keep discretion over safety and sightlines. These rules are a planning baseline, not approval to bring anything security considers hazardous.

• Verify the local start time for your ticketed stage and city.
• Check bag and sign dimensions against that venue’s limits before you leave.
• Keep professional camera supports and unauthorized streaming gear at home.
• Make cosplay props from safe, lightweight, non-metallic materials.

Attendees heading to Allen and Brooklyn now face updated start times and more detailed rules. The main mistake is assuming the two venues work the same way. Confirming the correct bag, sign, age and re-entry limits before leaving home can save you trouble at security.