LoL: Isurus and Estral Esports mutually end partnership — Isurus retains LTAS slot

Less than a year into their groundbreaking partnership, Isurus and Estral's partnership has been terminated. The joint team, aptly named Isurus Estral, was a top contender in the newly formed LTA South throughout Splits 1 and 2, competing with — and defeating — the best of the CBLOL. Both organizations were pillars of the Latin American esports community, defining the LLA for the last several years. Moving forward, Isurus Estral's star-studded roster will compete exclusively under Isurus's brand in the LTA South.

Estral, on the other hand, plan to focus on qualifying for Tier 1 as an independent organization, now made possible by the Tier 2 guest slots in each LTA conference. As a Mexican organization with roots in the LLA, Estral will likely compete in the LRN circuit until — if successful — jousting against the NACL's best for a chance to join the LTA North.

IE entered the LTA South with a veritable superteam built around LATAM legend Brandon Joel "Josedeodo" Villegas — the greatest jungler in the region's history. By his side were fellow Argentinian phenoms Brian Alejo "Snaker" Distefano and Gabriel "Ackerman" Aparicio. All three came to IE from Estral's final LLA roster; they were proven assets at a top level, and IE was left with two import slots to fill their solo lanes.

At the start of the year, they chose Korean journeyman Noh "Burdol" Tae-yoon, marking the toplaner's third competitive region — at only 21 years old. In Summer, Burdol was replaced by Park "Summit" Woo-tae, who came out of retirement to help stabilize the team.

In the midlane, Jeong "Mireu" Jo-bin returned to the Estral banner after two years away. In 2024, after an LLA championship with R7 and his first-ever Worlds tournament, Mireu joined BJK in the TCL, placing second domestically and second at the Spring EMEA Masters tournament — followed by a short summer stint on Gentle Mates in the LFL. Mireu won't be continuing with Isurus, however. The talented midlaner joined Vivo Keyd Stars earlier this month, leaving Isurus to search for a new solo laner.

In Split 1, Isurus Estral won the domestic regular season, earning them a ticket to the Cross-Conference playoffs as the LTA South's first seed. By the asymmetrical nature of the LTA merger, though, even the LTAS's first seed would have a difficult matchup against LTA North's fourth: Team Liquid.

That said, IE took a game off of TL in their Bo3, and TL went on to win the tournament. Though First Stand may have been the team's goal, it was a respectable final result. In Split 2, though they placed fifth in the regular season, IE finished third after adjusting to Summit's supplantation of Burdol.

In Split 3, Isurus will be hoping to push this roster to Worlds with the addition of a new midlaner, while Estral looks to reach the Tier 1 level once more.