Which League of Legends Region Will Win 2026 Worlds?

The League of Legends World Championship is easily the game’s most important annual tournament. The top teams from every major region compete for a chance to win the substantial cash prize and etch their names in League of Legends history. This year will be no different, with the 2026 Worlds coming beginning on October 15.
Teams from multiple regions have already qualified for the tournament, though their performances throughout the year have varied. Traders on the prediction market Polymarket have strong opinions on which region the team that will be crowned the world champion this year will originate from — and on this page we will break down the implied probability.
Image credit: Polymarket
Qualified 2026 Worlds teams’ form
All but one team has been determined for the 2026 League of Legends World Championship. With Hanwha Life taking home the MSI 2026 trophy and BLG finishing second, both the LCK and the LPL will have four seeds guaranteed in the Swiss stage. All eyes will be on one team, however: Gen.G. The multi-time LCK and MSI winners have failed to clinch the Summoner’s Cup on multiple occasions despite being the overwhelming favorites.
G2 Esports once again reigned supreme in the LEC, with the former Worlds finalists only dropping a single game in the playoffs. KC, who was the dominant force in the regular season, fell off hard and will now have to win the Play-In against one of North America’s favorites, Cloud9.
In the LCS, it feels like these are the best three teams that have been sent since the inception of the World Championship. Cloud9 levelled up to a point where they are competitive with Team Liquid and LYON. Speaking of Team Liquid, they could very easily be the best team in the West right now, with a dominant playoff run and Josedeodo capping off his amazing domestic year with a trophy.
Image credit: Red Bull
Team Secret Whales are looking to continue their awesome international storylines. At MSI, TSW was able to eliminate Top Esports. TSW only dropped a single game in the LCP playoffs, sweeping the second seed CTBC Flying Oyster, who returns to Worlds after a memorable past couple of years for the organisation.
As for the CBLoL, it’ll be interesting to see how they can perform. Furia are a legitimate team and have showcased this in the Americas Cup and EWC. Los, on the other hand, find themselves in a travel nightmare as they are playing in playoffs, the promotional tournament, and potentially Play-ins within a few days of each other.
☑️ My Take
This is the first year where it truly feels like it could be anyone’s year. That’s not to confidently say Team Liquid or G2 could win Worlds, but they are strong enough teams that can easily pick apart one of the top LCK or LPL teams on a good day. The LPL isn’t in the strongest place, with TES having to bring back 369, and iG being the fourth seed; there are places to upset.
Even looking at Dplus KIA, for example, there are players within the Western squads that match up well against these teams. Where the West, especially teams like G2, TL, and C9, are some of the best drafting teams around and will be able to shore up their weaknesses even against the strongest teams.
Although T1 is the overwhelming fans’ choice, I don’t think this is going to be their year. We have said this every year for the past three years, and they go on to hoist the trophy, but T1 hasn’t gotten the better of their rivals all year. It’s simply down to Hanwha Life and Gen.G to put them in their place. I think this is finally the year that Chovy slays his demons and wins Worlds, cementing himself as one of the greatest of all time.
Polymarket traders predict the LCK will stomp every other region at Worlds
Polymarket traders currently believe that a team from the LCK will ultimately win Worlds this year, and it’s clear to see why. With the exception of First Stand, an LCK team has won every major international tournament so far. Three out of the top four teams in last year’s World Championship also originated from the LCK.
Looking at recent trends, it makes sense that the LoL Worlds prediction market would see substantial trading volume for this market. Those who want to get in on it can use our promo code WINGGPREMAR to get a $50 trading bonus by depositing $10.
T1 is definitely the favorite to win because of the team’s popularity and proven track record when it comes to this tournament. But it isn’t the only LCK powerhouse. Gen.G dominated the recent LCK season, and Hanwha Life Esports has consistently defeated T1 recently.
Dplus may not be on everyone’s radar, but the team comfortably won the Esports World Cup this year, ensuring it’s a serious contender for first place. It makes sense that a substantial 70% of Polymarket traders think an LCK team will win Worlds, with LPL lagging at second place with 25%.
☑️ My Take
While it obviously isn’t a guarantee, it’s highly likely that an LCK team will win this year’s Worlds. The region just has too many powerful teams to compete against, especially for fairly weaker regions such as the LCS or LCP.
I think multiple teams in this year’s World Championship can be discounted as a serious force. Not only are most teams lacking the individual player skill that teams such as Gen.G and T1 have, but there are four LCK teams this year compared to the three qualified teams most other regions have.
The LEC has G2 Esports, but the region’s other teams are usually lacking. This suggests that the LPL region is the only real threat to the LCK’s victory. Bilibili Gaming has already proven its skill by winning First Stand this year, and teams such as Anyone’s Legends and Top Esports have already given the best LCK teams a run for their money.
Still, when it comes to consistency, it’s hard to side with any non-LCK team. It’s hard for me to see a team from any other region win the grand final, especially since an LCK team has consistently won Worlds for the last four consecutive years. So, Polymarket traders are calling this completely correctly.
Feature image credit: Riot Games
Hannan Mundia is a lifelong gamer. Don’t believe us? Just ask him. But don’t ask how many hours he’s spent playing. He’s been gaming since the age of three, and much of his live revolves around video games and the video game industry. Whether it’s a classic Legend of Zelda game from Nintendo, the newest Bethesda RPG, or something else entirely, you can bet that Hannan is ready and willing to play it.
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