The
Worlds 2026 Play-In concluded last Sunday with
Karmine Corp securing victory and qualifying for the Main Stage, eliminating FURIA, MVK Esports and Cloud9 from the race for the Worlds title. The Blue Wall now joins the Swiss Stage, with the draw held immediately after their series against MVK. To say the draw was unkind to the LEC teams would be an understatement.
have what could be considered the most favorable draw, but
are still the 2026 Esports World Cup champions and should not be underestimated.
, meanwhile, will have to open their Worlds campaign against what many consider the best Chinese team despite their defeat in the LPL Split 3 final,
. The Blue Wall, meanwhile, will have to face
, the LPL Summer champions.
Reasons for optimism despite a tough draw
Despite what may seem like difficult draws, there are genuine reasons to be optimistic about the European teams' performances. As for G2, the Samurai are among the top teams at these Worlds, ranking sixth in
Sheep Esports' power rankings, ahead of DK in seventh. The two teams last faced each other at the Esports World Cup, where DK came out on top.
For MKOI, things will be a little more complicated against BLG. The two teams have faced each other three times over the past three years, with the Chinese side winning all three encounters at Worlds, MSI and the EWC. The only reason for optimism is the state BLG could be in following
the events surrounding their toplane. Finally, KC have already faced AL in the Esports World Cup quarterfinals, where the Blue Wall came out on top.
A historically difficult draw for the LEC
This is not the first year Europe has been handed a difficult Worlds draw.
Last year, all three LEC teams lost their opening matches, with G2 facing Top Esports, MKOI taking on KT Rolster, and Fnatic going up against CTBC Flying Oyster. The
same was true in 2024, when Fnatic had to face DK and MAD Lions KOI took on BLG.
The LEC teams' bad luck has not been limited to the opening round, either, as they have also faced tough draws in the later stages of the Swiss Stage. In 2024, for example, after going 2-2 against paiN Gaming, Hanwha Life Esports, Weibo Gaming and T1, G2 drew BLG, who went on to eliminate them. Meanwhile, another series saw an all-American clash between FlyQuest and Team Liquid.
At Worlds 2026, LCS teams drew the two LCP representatives in Round 1: LYON will face Team Secret Whales, while Team Liquid take on CTBC Flying Oyster. A favourable draw on paper, which prompted quite a reaction. "Most rigged draw ever for NA. This is completely rigged. There is just no fucking way they got the best teams humanly possible to play, and Europe gets absolutely thrown into the dirt. I demand a redraw be held tomorrow at noon or you will be hearing from my lawyers Riot Games", streamer Marc "Caedrel" Lamont wrote tongue-in-cheek.
Historically, however, the LCS teams have not been particularly fortunate when it comes to opening their Worlds campaigns. In 2025, FlyQuest began its run against T1, while 100 Thieves drew BLG. The 2024 draw was somewhat kinder, pairing FLY with GAM and Team Liquid with LNG Esports, who were not the strongest side in the LPL. In 2023, meanwhile, Team Liquid drew T1, NRG faced Weibo Gaming, while Cloud9 were matched with MAD Lions — which remains the only LEC–LCS matchup in the opening round of Worlds since the introduction of the Swiss Stage.
