True Damage returns seven years later to voice Worlds 2026 with Know My Name

Some comebacks you see coming a mile away, and others catch you with the controller still in your hands. Riot Games has confirmed that True Damage, its most celebrated fictional music group, is returning to the stage seven years after the performance many still remember as one of the best opening ceremonies in Worlds history. As reported by Vida Extra, the band will deliver the official anthem for the 2026 League of Legends World Championship, titled Know My Name.

Why does it matter? Because Worlds music stopped being mere background a long time ago. It's marketing, it's the tournament's identity, and it's pure gold for those of us who create content around the competition. True Damage's first appearance came at a final that ended in a decisive 3-0 for Doinb's team over Caps and Perkz's G2 Esports, and the memory of the show ended up rivaling the result itself. Now Riot wants to pull off the same play again.

What you need to know

• Know My Name will be the 13th anthem in the history of the League of Legends World Championship.
• SOYEON returns as the voice of Akali, the only name kept from the original lineup.
• The voices of Ekko, Qiyana and Senna are changing: they are now handled by Vic Mensa, Coco Jones and Sofía Reyes.
• The release on streaming platforms is scheduled for Friday, October 9 at 3:00 a.m. Central European Summer Time (CEST).
• Giants, the group's previous single, has racked up 230 million streams since its release.

From the finals stage to the official anthem

To understand the weight of this announcement, you have to go back to the beginning. True Damage was born out of Riot's push to create fictional music groups starring champions from its universe, a strategy that blurs the line between video games, pop music and live entertainment. The group debuted right before the games of that final, and Giants became a phenomenon that kept piling up plays long after the stadium lights went out.

The key difference this time is the role: True Damage is no longer just one act within the ceremony, but the band behind the tournament's official song. That means Know My Name will play in trailers, broadcasts, highlight reels and, almost certainly, in thousands of community videos for weeks. The announcement also comes in a season where Riot has already gone big on audiovisual content with Salvation, the official 2026 cinematic.

The new lineup

Keeping SOYEON as the anchor gives the project continuity, while refreshing the rest of the cast is a way to open the group up to different audiences. The presence of Sofía Reyes is especially striking for the Spanish-speaking community: having a Latin American voice on the anthem of the year's biggest event is no small detail.

Our take

Here in the Underworld Lordz newsroom, we're clear on this: bringing back True Damage is a smart decision, but also a risky one. Smart because nostalgia sells and because Giants set the bar incredibly high; risky for exactly the same reason. When you swap out three of the four voices, people are going to compare, and comparisons with a track that's already part of League culture are unforgiving. If Know My Name doesn't hook listeners on the first play, the conversation will focus more on what was lost than on what was gained.

For competitive players, honestly, the anthem is the least of it: what matters is what happens on the Rift. But you shouldn't underestimate the effect a great track has on a tournament's atmosphere. A powerful song raises the tension of every series, turns plays into viral moments and helps draw in people who don't follow the scene. In the end, that benefits the teams and players too.

For content creators, the message is different: get ready for the release. Reactions, lyric breakdowns, montages of the best Worlds plays or covers could pull huge numbers in the first few days. That said, be careful with copyright before using the full track in your videos or streams, because nothing kills a great clip faster than a copyright strike.

What do you think?

We'll find out on October 9, but the debate is already on. Do you think True Damage can top the impact of Giants with this new lineup, or should Riot have gone for something completely new? Drop by the team chat or our Discord and let us know: what are you expecting from Know My Name?