The 2026 season has just started in League of Legends, and the game’s esports season will begin next week. All rosters have been shuffled around, and some teams are already hailed as the winners of the offseason. As we are about to kick off the race for First Stand, what are the teams to watch out for if betting on League of Legends esports in 2026?
| Team | Top lane | Jungle | Mid lane | Bot lane | Support |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| T1 | Doran | Oner | Faker | Peyz | Keria |
| Gen.G | Kiin | Canyon | Chovy | Ruler | Duro |
| BLG | Bin | Xun | Knight | Viper | ON |
| iG | Soboro | Wei | Rookie | Photic | Meiko and Jwei |
| G2 | BrokenBlade | SkewMond | Caps | Hans Sama | Labrov |
| SK | Wunder | Skeanz | LIDER | Jopa | Mikyx |
| FLY | Gakgos | Gryffinn | Quad | Massu | Cryogen |
| DSG | Castle | KryRa | Callme | sajed | Lyonz |
| CFO | Rest | Shad0w | Pungyeon | Doggo | 2274 |
T1 is the team that never needs an introduction – they’re simply the best, and have proven this many times. A LoL betting favorite, they’re also a wild ride. T1 more often than not has a rocky year and regularly looks underwhelming. Then, they reach the Worlds Knockout Stage and they’re suddenly the best team in the world.
Once again, T1 has changed part of their roster, with Peyz coming in to replace Gumayusi in the bot lane. In 2025, it was Zeus that went to Hanwha Life Esports and was replaced by Doran. That hasn’t stopped T1 from claiming their 6th Worlds trophy.
After 3 consecutive years of the same story, so far it seems like the same story might repeat itself.
Gen.G is that team that carries the entire raid, but forgets to take the loot before leaving the dungeon at the end. For years, they’ve been one of the best teams in the LCK. In 2025, they were the undisputed best, possibly even the most dominant team that League of Legends has ever seen.
However, every year, Gen.G reaches the Worlds playoffs, and every year, that’s where everything comes crashing down. Gen.G has never reached the LoL Worlds finals, despite their seven appearances.
The Korean superpower heads into 2026 with the same roster as in 2025. There’s no doubt that they will remain the top team regionally. However, there’s also the fact of their Worlds performance.
BLG ON at the Worlds 2025 stage. Image Source: Christian Betancourt / Riot Games
BLG was the strongest team in the LPL at the end of 2025. Then Worlds came and they suddenly lost all composure. At Worlds, they were the weakest out of the four LPL teams, even though the competition was fierce when it came to underperforming.
Bilibili Gaming is coming back with an improved roster though, while most rosters in the LPL looked like they were downgraded. With Xun and Viper joining Bin and Knight, BLG’s roster is filled with playmakers.
Regardless of Worlds 2025, BLG should be the team to watch for high quality gameplay in the LPL.
iG won the World Championship in 2018, then became really quiet when it comes to results. TheShy and Rookie stayed at the core of the team for most of it, and gave it its identity: explosive fighting all game long.
However, as time went on, TheShy’s risky playstyle erred on the side of inting more often than not. The entire team followed suit, and iG always stayed on the brink of relevance.
In 2026, half of iG’s squad changed again. Going by the meagre sample provided by the Demacia Cup 2025, they seem to have kept the same playstyle, but with better results thus far.
Will it be enough to finally push them above their competition? Only time will tell. What is certain, though, is that they’ll be a fun team to watch for sure.
G2 Caps exits the Worlds 2025 stage. Image Source: Yicun Liu / Riot Games
G2 is tied with Rainbow7 and Detonation FocusMe for most regional trophies, at 17. Quite frankly, they’re simultaneously the reason why the LEC is boring and interesting.
Boring, because they almost always win. When they don’t win, they’re usually still in the finals. It doesn’t matter what happens, they’re making it there and the LEC lacks suspense because of them.
Interesting, because they’re the only Western team with international relevance. G2 always believes in their own way of playing the game, and isn’t scared of bringing it against the East instead of copying them. Sometimes, they’re also strong enough to challenge the LCK.
Only sometimes, though. In 2026, they’re going with the same roster again to try to further build upon their teamplay. Once again, they’ll be the Western team that could achieve things internationally – and that most likely won’t.
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In 2025, the LEC had a clear story. G2 Esports, Karmine Corp, Fnatic, and Movistar KOI are the four relevant teams. The four of them place higher and lower throughout the year based on their strengths and weaknesses, but they’re the top 4.
For 2026, SK could give fresh competition. With a fully new roster of players who aren’t afraid to take risks, SK could push a team out of the top 3 just as well as they could place last. This is definitely a team to watch, though.
FlyQuest spent two years as the best team in North America. Now, they’ve revamped their whole roster to keep only Quad and Massu, and end up with the youngest roster in the West, averaging just under 20 years old.
FLY’s history makes it easy to believe in that team, and no one can tell what these players will achieve. Odds are that they’ll stay at the top of the LCS, but with fresh blood.
In 2025, Disguised was dead last all year long. Until the very end, when they suddenly started going toe to toe with the best teams, and looking fun doing so.
For 2026, they’ve changed their entire roster, but they remain a team that could make the LCS exciting.
CFO on the Worlds 2025 stage. Image Source: Colin Young-Wolff / Riot Games
In 2025, CFO was the undisputed best team in the LCP. However, while South-East Asia was always a weaker region, they alone made it earn the world’s respect. Last year, CFO established themselves as a stronger team than what most regions could bring. The Oysters were better than the West, on par with the LPL, and only below the top Korean teams.
CFO brings a new roster for 2026, but they remain this underdog that can compete with the best.
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Featured Image Source: Colin Young-Wolff / Riot Games
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