Chovy, Knight, Caps... The stars whose first Worlds title could rewrite their legacies in 2026

Some say only the victors are truly etched into the annals of history, and while there is some truth to this saying, many legends have nevertheless left their mark on League of Legends esports without ever hoisting the World Championship trophy. Still, who could deny the call of the Summoner’s Cup?

This year, like many before it, several legends will converge on North America, where Worlds 2026 is set to take place, and attempt to fill the glaringly empty spot on their résumés, hoping to finally slay the Unkillable Demon King and start a dynasty of their own by claiming their first-ever Worlds title…

Enthroned in the Hall of Legends earlier this year, the legendary trickster of Denmark will now, more than ever, hope to reclaim his former glory and reach the same heights he reached in 2018 and 2019. A former MSI titleholder, will, just like many times before, attempt to rectify the glaring issue in his trophy cabinet: a missing Worlds title. But is it finally the year Europe upsets the odds and rises back to the top?

For years now, Europe has struggled, only finally reaching the quarterfinals once more last year after having missed out on a top-eight finish in the previous two. The odds appear slim, but it’s when they are least expected that Europe has risen to upset the world. With a second-place finish at First Stand 2026 and an MSI run where eliminated , perhaps this year could finally be the one to change the tides.

Undoubtedly one of the best midlaners in the world, former Worlds finalist will attempt once more to conquer his demons and re-establish China’s dominance over LoL Esports. In 2024, he was one game away from slaying T1 and denying the team back-to-back titles, and yet he stumbled. But now, he’s back again and looking better than ever with . Reigning First Stand champion and MSI finalist, it looks like it may be the year that China finally takes the throne back after having failed every attempt since 2021.

Alongside him is , who may not be as obvious a candidate as Knight but remains one of the most criminally under-decorated players in history. Among the best toplaners the scene has ever witnessed, the two-time World finalist will, after a turbulent season, hope to right his wrongs and finally push his team to the top, especially after a difficult MSI performance.

The Eum to ’s Yang, one does not need to introduce anymore. A two-time MSI champion and now six-time LCK champion, yet never a Worlds finalist. Will 2026 be the year Chovy comes out of Faker’s shadow and proves that the Demon King is no more? Only time will tell.

Now on his eighth appearance at Worlds, and after a dominant summer season where he and were crowned LCK champion, just like many years before, it looks like Chovy is poised to finally break his curse. One thing is certain: among all the names on this list, Chovy is by far the player who will need this title the most.

Often criticized, he has nevertheless kept up with the times, remaining one of the best in the world. A performance at Worlds—when it matters most—would finally cement his legacy for good, rewarding nine years of effort.

Beyond the challengers, one has to mention star AD Carry , who will be representing the reigning champions. Considered to be one of the best players on this year, the 20-year-old has rapidly become one of the best at his position, not only within the LCK but across the entire world. Still, while he is often compared to the likes of and in terms of power level, he is the only one of the three to have never had the joy of lifting the Summoner’s Cup, as he made it as far as the semifinals in 2024 and has failed to attend Worlds since…

So what better time for him to claim his first trophy than now that he has joined T1? For years now, the South Korean team has effectively run a trophy-printing machine, having achieved the first-ever three-peat in 2025 and now looking to once more break records and aim for a fourth in a row.

One is the reigning MSI champion, the other is an LPL titleholder, both former Griffin junglers who spent most of their careers in China. Perhaps this year will finally settle the debate over which of the two is the better jungler. Indeed, starting his career in 2019, grew in the shadow of his senior , who originally held the starting position on Griffin, leading Kanavi to then spend nearly six years on .

Still, today, while both stand as legendary players in their own right, neither has managed to win Worlds. Today, though once more representing different regions just like at the beginning, the two junglers will aim to finally enter the pantheon and truly immortalize their names in history, while others may fade with time. Will Kanavi bring to the summits of League of Legends esports? Or will Tarzan remind him to respect his mentors and engrave ’s name into the Summoner’s Cup?