KC to bounce back at home, Gen.G to defend their title... all the main storylines before the start of the Esports World Cup

The Esports World Cup comes to League of Legends from July 15 to 19. With this year's edition taking place in Paris, the tournament appears more open than ever as teams look to dethrone reigning champions . Fresh off Hanwha Life Esports' victory at the Mid-Season Invitational, several teams that either failed to qualify for MSI or fell short of expectations now have the perfect opportunity to bounce back on the international stage.

A great deal can happen over the course of five days, and teams that have benefited from a longer preparation period may have the chance to upset the favourites. Here are the key storylines to follow ahead of the tournament.

After being swept 3-0 by Team Liquid in the MSI Play-Ins, are among the teams under the most pressure to respond at the Esports World Cup and prove they belong on the international stage. There is arguably no better place to do so than in front of their home fans in France—a setting that has suited them particularly well this year, having won all three of their matches during the LEC Roadtrip hosted by the organization. Their Spanish rivals, , find themselves in a similar situation and will be looking to improve on a season in which they have yet to finish higher than third.

A new-look will also make its debut in Paris, with Luka "Perkz" Perković taking charge as Head Coach. After what looked like the start of a memorable MSI run following their victory over T1, the reigning LEC champions were brought crashing back to earth by a humiliating 3-0 defeat to LYON. In the aftermath, G2 made the unexpected decision to part ways with the highly decorated Dylan Falco and promote former franchise player Perkz to the role. The Esports World Cup will offer the first glimpse of G2 under their new leadership.

After an outstanding MSI campaign that ended with a top-three finish following a narrow defeat to Hanwha Life Esports, have the opportunity to carry that momentum into another deep international run. Back in Europe, will once again have the chance to back up his claim of being the best jungler in the West.

Meanwhile, Sentinels will make their first international appearance in League of Legends and could immediately establish themselves as a serious contender. Drawn into what appears to be a manageable group, the North American side will nevertheless need to improve on their Spring Split performances if they hope to make a deep run.

Absent from MSI but defending champions of the Esports World Cup, Gen.G arrive in Paris with a point to prove as they look to rebuild confidence before returning to LCK competition. The same can be said for , who, for the first time in the organization's history, failed to reach the top four at MSI.

The two Korean powerhouses, who appeared virtually untouchable just a year ago, now seem considerably more vulnerable against Western opposition, as demonstrated by their respective defeats to G2 Esports at First Stand and MSI earlier this season.

Alongside them, Hanwha Life Esports naturally enter the tournament as the team to beat after lifting the MSI trophy. The final Korean representative is , who are returning to international competition for the first time since 2024. Although the team has struggled with consistency throughout the year, three of its young players will be making their international debuts.

Following their defeat in the MSI Grand Final, have officially fallen short of completing the Golden Road. With that pressure now behind them and a desire for redemption after letting another major title slip away, China's top seed will be determined to make a statement at a tournament where they have yet to progress beyond the quarterfinals.

The rest of the LPL representatives have experienced an inconsistent season, with providing perhaps the clearest example. After qualifying for First Stand, the team once again struggled domestically and ultimately missed out on MSI following costly defeats to Top Esports and Bilibili Gaming. Last year's Esports World Cup runners-up, , are also still searching for the right formula this season. Both teams could use a strong performance in Paris to reignite their campaigns and provide genuine competition for BLG within the LPL.

After eliminating Top Esports during MSI, proved they are not to be underestimated. Their placement in Pool 1 has earned them a relatively open group, giving them another opportunity to surprise the field.

continue to dominate their domestic league but are still searching for a breakthrough internationally, led in particular by the individual talent of jungler Pedro "Tatu" Seixas. As for and , both teams still appear to trail the tournament favourites based on this year's results, but neither should be overlooked given the quality of talent on their respective rosters.