Worlds 2026: CBLOL and the year of hope

The 2026 edition of the League of Legends World Championship will mark a historic moment for Brazil. For the first time, the Brazilian League of Legends Championship (CBLOL) will send two representatives to the biggest international tournament of the year: FURIA and LOS.

The two teams arrive by different paths. FURIA, who fell to LOS in Saturday’s final on October 10, will have to start in the Play-In, where they face MVK Esports. A win would set up a match against the winner of Karmine Corp versus Cloud9, with a place in the Swiss Stage on the line for the next mathes. LOS, meanwhile, have already secured direct qualification to the Swiss Stage.

Brazilian fans have reason to be optimistic. While reaching the playoffs may still be a distant dream, the region’s representatives arrive with enough individual talent, international experience, and proven results to make a deeper run feel less like wishful thinking. For a region that has spent years trying to close the gap to the world's strongest leagues, sending two competitive rosters is a statement in itself.

FURIA and LOS also embody two different approaches to the game. FURIA can lean on the consistency of their AD Carry, Andrey “Ayu” Saraiva and the playmaking of jungler , while LOS have built a more connected team identity under captain , supported by a reliable top side. Both rosters combine young Brazilian talent with experience from players who have competed at a high level, giving the CBLOL a chance to show that its progress is not limited to a single team.

FURIA's path is the more complicated of the two, but it is not without promise. After losing the CBLOL final to LOS, the team must now navigate the Play-In. The challenge is clear, but so is the opportunity. FURIA have beaten Tier 1 opponents in the past, like the matches against Cloud9 and Sentinels at Americas Cup 2026 and bringing G2 to the last BO5 game at MSI 2025, showing that their ceiling can be higher than their regional standing might suggest. Their route to the Swiss Stage will demand consistency, yet the draw does not make qualification an implausible goal. If they can find their best form, Brazilian fans have reasons to believe they can get through.

Much of FURIA's identity revolves around Ayu and Tatu. Ayu has been a reliable presence in the bottom lane, offering the kind of consistency that can keep the team in games even when the early stages do not go according to plan. His ability to deliver in fights gives FURIA a clear point of reference as matches progress.

Tatu, however, often determines how high the team can climb. The jungler is central to FURIA's ability to create pressure, set the pace, and connect the lanes into a cohesive game plan. When he finds his rhythm, the team can look dangerous against strong opposition. When he struggles to impose his style, FURIA can lose much of the structure that allows Ayu and the rest of the roster to thrive.

That dependence can be a vulnerability at Worlds, where opponents are quick to punish predictable patterns and small mistakes. FURIA will need Tatu to be proactive without forcing plays, while the rest of the roster must be ready to contribute when the game does not revolve around its usual strengths.

LOS will approach Worlds from a more comfortable starting point, having secured direct qualification to the Swiss Stage by winning the CBLOL final. Their position gives them time to prepare for the international stage without the immediate elimination pressure that FURIA will face, but their ambitions should extend beyond simply being there.

The team's greatest strength is its collective identity. Guided by captain Ackerman, LOS have developed a more connected style of play, with the roster working together to create advantages rather than relying exclusively on individual heroics. That cohesion can be especially valuable at an international tournament, where teams often have little time to adapt to unfamiliar opponents and where coordination can make the difference in close games.

At the same time, LOS have a reliable foundation on the top side of the map. Toplaner Kim “Zest” Dong-min and midlaner have consistently delivered strong laning phases, giving jungler room to establish the pace of the game. When both lanes can secure favorable positions, Curse has more freedom to influence the map, support his teammates, and turn early advantages into objectives.

This balance between individual strength and collective coordination is what makes LOS particularly interesting. A strong top side can create the conditions for the team to dictate the early game, while Ackerman's leadership helps ensure those advantages serve a broader plan.

They also arrive with a result that should give them confidence. LOS defeated LYON at this year's Esports World Cup 2026, demonstrating that they can compete with established international opposition. One victory would not guarantee a deep Worlds run, but it provides a concrete reminder that the gap between CBLOL and the top regions is not always insurmountable.

Their qualification is particularly notable given the circumstances surrounding the team. LOS have been competing in two tournaments at the same time, balancing their CBLOL campaign with the race for a place in the 2027 CBLOL season. On Monday, October 12, they are scheduled to face KaBuM! Ilha das Lendas at CBLOL Promotion to determine their place in next year's competition. Managing those parallel commitments while preparing for Worlds adds another layer to an already demanding stretch, making their direct qualification all the more significant.

For years, Brazilian teams have entered Worlds hoping to turn flashes of promise into a sustained international run. This time, the region arrives with two representatives whose strengths complement one another: FURIA's high-impact individual pieces and LOS's more coordinated approach. Both rosters also reflect a blend of young Brazilian talent and experience from players who have already tested themselves at a high level.

The road ahead remains steep. Reaching the playoffs would be a major achievement for either roster. But it no longer feels unreasonable for CBLOL fans to imagine FURIA making it through the Play-In, defeating MVK and then Karmine Corp or Cloud9, and joining LOS in the Swiss Stage.

That possibility alone gives this Worlds a different feeling for the CBLOL. Brazil is not simply sending two teams to fill its places in the tournament, but it is bringing two contenders with identifiable strengths, international victories, and reasons to believe they can cause trouble. For the first time, Brazil has two chances to make its mark on Worlds, and perhaps the strongest combined representation CBLOL has ever brought to the tournament.