North America’s LCS champions LYON dropped their MSI 2026 matchup against Korean powerhouse Hanwha Life Esports, and strategic coach Han “Rigby” Earl is already dissecting what went wrong. The loss stings, but it’s not the end of the road. LYON still has its eyes on a Worlds push later this year.
What happened at MSI 2026
HLE came into the matchup sharp and left happy. The Korean squad dispatched LYON convincingly enough that Rigby felt compelled to publicly reflect on the team’s shortcomings rather than chalk it up to a bad day.
LYON won the 2026 LCS Spring Split championship, earning their ticket to MSI as North America’s top representative. Rigby joined the organization in December 2025, and his impact was immediate, helping steer the roster to a domestic title in his first split.
His pedigree backs up the results. Rigby previously coached Evil Geniuses during their 2022 World Championship campaign, giving him the kind of international stage experience that most coaching staffs in the LCS simply don’t have. His contract with LYON runs through the day after Worlds 2026.
