The 2026 edition of the
League of Legends World Championship will be held in the United States from October 15 to November 14, with three European teams representing the
League of Legends EMEA Championship (LEC):
as the first seed,
as the second seed, both directly qualifying for the Main Stage, and
as the third seed, starting in the Play-In.
The three teams head into Worlds with different expectations, shaped by their Summer Split runs and their performances throughout the year. If the region is to make a deep run, much of the hope rests on G2. MKOI, meanwhile, arrive as underdogs, while KC will look to make a strong impression in their first-ever Worlds appearance.
Karmine Corp, battle their way out of the Play-In
Based on their form throughout the year, the Blue Wall would normally have qualified for Worlds as the LEC's second seed. However, a difficult Summer Split playoff run and a strong showing from MKOI mean they will have to start in the Play-In instead. To make it through, they will have to battle against MVK Esports, Brazil's second seed, and especially
Cloud9, who could prove to be the biggest challenge on their path to the Main Stage.
KC will rely heavily on their botlane and will likely have to play around Caliste "Caliste" Henry-Hennebert, the team's AD Carry and face. While this will be the organization's first Worlds appearance, only two players will be making their debut at the event: Caliste and Kang "kyeahoo" Ye-hoo. The rest of the roster, along with the coaching staff, have already experienced Worlds, raising expectations for the team.
Movistar KOI, the team riding the momentum
MKOI's Summer Split got off to the worst possible start, with the team even missing out on their own road show in Madrid, which featured only the top four teams from the regular season. However, the playoffs showed just how important momentum can be in League of Legends.
From being on the verge of elimination in the regular season to reaching the Finals, the Spanish team will be attending its third consecutive Worlds. For jungler and captain Javier "
" Prades Batalla, it will be his sixth consecutive appearance at the event, as he continues to be a driving force for the team. A strong performance from Joseph "
" Pyun will also be key to a successful Worlds run for MKOI.
G2 Esports, the light at the end of the tunnel
Clearly among the top teams at Worlds, the Samurai have not been this close to a world title in a long time, with their last appearance in the grand final dating back to 2019. G2 have won all three LEC titles this year, reached the final of First Stand 2026 after eliminating Gen.G, and finished in the top four at MSI after taking down T1.
2026 Hall of Legends inductee, Rasmus "Caps" Winther will be making his ninth Worlds appearance and is dreaming of lifting the Summoner's Cup more than ever. He is surrounded by a strong roster, particularly French-Lebanese jungler Rudy "SkewMond" Semaan, who, in only his second year in Tier 1, is arguably the best jungler in the West.
