Which region will win LoL Worlds 2026? LoL Worlds favorites

Naerlyn Published September 18, 2026

The 2026 League of Legends World Championship begins October 15 in the United States. This four-week tournament pits the best teams from every region until one of them emerges victorious and claims the Summoner’s Cup and a multi-million dollar prize. With teams competing from every league, which region will win LoL Worlds 2026?

Worlds winner prediction market

Market-implied chances courtesy of Polymarket on September 17, 8pm CEST, with a volume of $507k.  

The prediction market for the region to win LoL Worlds 2026. Image Credit: Polymarket

Why the market favors the LCK

The market favors the LCK because T1 still exists. Of the 15 World Championships played, T1 and Lee “Faker” Sang-hyeok won six (out of the LCK’s ten titles). Then, the LPL has three, and the LCP and LEC both have one.

Note: The LEC won Worlds while only EU and NA participated, and the LCP (then LMS) won before the introduction of leagues. For the World Championship as we know it, only South Korea and China have won.

Some years, T1 comes as a favorite. Other times, they limped their way to Worlds. In either case, they can’t be counted out.

In their ten participations to the tournament, they’ve never finished below the top four. When they didn’t win, they finished in third-fourth place twice and as the runner-up the other two. If it weren’t for T1, the LCK would be on nearly even footing with the LPL in terms of tournament wins.

However, not only is T1 there, so is the rest of the LCK. Considering that they were never the best team in their region this year, South Korea has a good case for being the favorite to win the 2026 World Championship.

Gen.G is a colossus, Hanwha Life Esports is just behind them, and Dplus KIA has demonstrated their ability to show up. With the Mid-Season Invitational champion and the Esports World Cup winner, the LCK is sending four frontrunners to Worlds.

The LCK is the favorite region to win LoL Worlds 2026. Image Credit: Riot Games

Can the LPL win Worlds?

The LPL is in a strange state. Up until the last match of MSI, Bilibili Gaming was the best team in the world and set to perhaps achieve the first golden road of League of Legends. Then, they lost to HLE in the MSI final and global confidence in them shattered.

Nevertheless, they remained the best team in the LPL by a long shot. Yet the same thing happened regionally and they lost the very last match to Anyone’s Legend. Had they not lost those two series, they would have been the favorite to win Worlds.

While two series don’t overwrite their level, it’s hard to have faith in BLG after their stumble at Worlds 2025. Additionally, the LPL faces a real problem, and he’s named Faker. T1 has never lost a Bo5 against China at Worlds. With a score of 12-0, 9-0 in the past four years alone, they’re a wall that the LPL has never managed to cross.

Either they finally manage to beat T1, or they rely on another team beating them. Else, they’re out of the conversation.

Can the LPL win LoL Worlds 2026 after First Stand? Image Credit: Liu Yicun / Riot Games

Can underdog regions win Worlds?

It’s very unlikely, but 2026 could be the best chance for EU, NA, or APAC. Both China and South Korea have shown their weaknesses this year. Europe even has a winning record against the East in series for the first time.

Most importantly, no team stands out as a favorite. It should be Gen.G, but their inability to even reach any Worlds final is impossible to ignore. T1 will pull off their usual magic, but they can’t be called a favorite, and HLE and DK stand behind Gen.G. As for the LPL, it’s just BLG and they can’t be placed above the others.

LYON, G2, Karmine Corp even, and Team Secret Whales have their best chances in 2026. However, they remain slim.

Our prediction

Prediction: The LCK to win Worlds 2026

Each LCK representative could win Worlds this year. Meanwhile, only BLG looks like a reasonable candidate for the LPL, and they would have to make it through several of their demons. History keeps repeating itself, and there’s a reason South Korea has won ten World Championships already.

Let us know your predictions on our forums.

Featured Image Credit: Colin Young-Wolff & Shannon Cottrell / Riot Games