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Worlds Fan Fest comes to Pier 36, with a finals watch party on November 14

Riot’s three-day New York fan event opens November 12. Entry is subject to capacity, and Saturday starts earlier for Hotline League’s return.

CS
ClutchScope editorial
Published 2 Nov 2026 · 3 min read
Fact-checked 2 Nov 2026 · Times stated with their timezone
Fictional MOBA world · AI illustration
Fictional MOBA world · AI illustration
AI watercolor illustration of Teemo and a poro beside a waterfront fan gathering with the Manhattan skyline
Original AI illustration by ClutchScope; imagined League fan gathering, not a photograph or an accurate Pier 36 layout.
In this article
  1. Opening hours in New York and UTC
  2. A developer panel and player-made ARAM changes
  3. More than the main stage

Worlds 2026 Fan Fest will run at Pier 36 in Lower Manhattan from November 12 to 14, with a World Championship final watch party on the last day. Riot’s newly published guide says the event is open to all fans, but entry is subject to venue capacity. Long waits are possible at peak times, and the queue may be temporarily capped.

The three-day programme mixes League of Legends developer sessions, ARAM: Mayhem, cosplay and activities for TFT, Riftbound and Wild Rift. It is a separate fan destination from the Worlds match venues.

Opening hours in New York and UTC

New York will be on Eastern Standard Time (EST, UTC−5) for all three days:

  • Thursday, November 12: 15:00–21:00 EST, or 20:00 UTC Thursday to 02:00 UTC Friday.
  • Friday, November 13: 15:00–21:00 EST, or 20:00 UTC Friday to 02:00 UTC Saturday.
  • Saturday, November 14: 11:00–20:00 EST, or 16:00 UTC Saturday to 01:00 UTC Sunday.

Saturday opens four hours earlier than the first two days. Hotline League with Travis Gafford runs from 11:00 to 12:30 EST—16:00 to 17:30 UTC—followed by the finals watch party at 14:00 EST, or 19:00 UTC. That last time is the Fan Fest programme’s watch-party listing, not a promise about the first in-game draft.

A developer panel and player-made ARAM changes

Thursday’s main stage starts with a League of Legends in 2026 developer panel at 15:30–16:15 EST, featuring Riot Phroxzon, Riot just a capybara and Riot Tiny Bun. Trivia and a meet-and-greet follow.

The ARAM: Mayhem Balance Booth runs 18:30–20:30 EST on Thursday and 18:45–20:30 EST on Friday. Riot says winners of its 5v5 matches can submit balance changes and see them implemented in a custom game build at the event. Those are on-site experiments, not changes being voted into the live game.

Friday’s cosplay showcase is 15:30–16:15 EST. Riot asks participants to use the signup link in its guide by November 8, so prospective entrants have an earlier deadline than the festival itself.

More than the main stage

Riftbound mentors will run learn-to-play sessions with cards to take away, including a promo Riven card. The shared TFT and Riftbound booth also offers a token photobooth and card displays. Wild Rift’s booth has AAA ARAM matches, with a Worlds emote for playing.

An Artist Alley will feature 20 artists, and food trucks will be on-site. Riot lists several giveaways with limited daily quantities, so those should not be treated as guaranteed admission benefits. For attending the matches as well as Fan Fest, our Worlds venue guide separates the match venues’ bag and re-entry policies.