The esports industry has grown massively throughout the years. Before, people just saw it as playing games but with the help of technology, the gaming scene kept getting better to the point where esports players are considered as professionalsThere are a lot of games that fall under the scope of esports and one of them is League of Legends (LoL) by Riot Games.
LOL is a multiplayer online battle arena (MOBA) game that was officially released in 2009. With its thrilling gameplay that pushes players to progress with their levels, many players became more competitive in the game. As a result, LOL became one of the biggest games in the esports industry as it also hosts one of the grandest tournaments.
The League of Legends World Championship or Worlds is a prestigious tournament for the world’s best LOL teams. Held every October, many players watch what unfolds in this multi-million dollar prized tournament. In fact, it is in 2018 that the tournament was watched by around 99.6 million people from all over the world.
There are a lot of teams that have proven themselves well in this game. For those who are curious about who to watch out for, here are some of the most notable LOL teams to watch out for:
FunPlus Phoenix (FPX)
FunPlus Phoenix is known as the Chinese team who earned the top spot in the Worlds 2021 power rankings. After having won the title in 2019, this team has proven to be more eager to reclaim it once more, especially after falling short of reclaiming the title in 2021. Still, there is no doubt that they are still on track in being the best team in the Worlds tournament, especially after having ‘Doinb’ on their roster.
By having him on the team, fans are expecting them to pull off something new that will surprise the viewers with their performance. Fans also believe that their experience is enough to keep them on top of their game. Here’s a closer look at their current player roster:
- ‘xiaolaohu’ – Ping Xiao-Hu
- ‘Clid’ – Ping Xiao-Hu
- ‘Lwx’ – Lin Wei-Xiang
- Hang’ – Fu Ming-Hang
- ‘Care’ – Yang Jie
- ‘gori’ – Kim Tae-woo
EDward Gaming (EDG)
Defending Worlds champion EDward Gaming is also included among the top LoL teams. Despite giving out an astounding performance in the tournament and earning the prestigious title, the team only ranked 2nd in the international rankings with their lack of international experience.
Many fans are in awe of EDG after they defeated FPX during the Tencent League of Legends Pro League (LPL) summer finals. With their impressive team fighting skills and ability to position themselves well, many fans have grown more interested with this team and what they have to offer for their future games.
Here’s their roster of active players:
- ‘Flandre’ – Li Xuan-Jun
- ‘Xiaoxiang’ – Huang Xiang
- ‘Viper’ – Park Do-hyeon
- ‘Meiko’ – Tian Ye
- ‘Jiejie’ – Zhao Li-Jie
- ‘Scout’ – Lee Ye-chan
DWG Kia
This team, also known as Damwon Kia, is a professional esports team that focuses in League of Legends. Damwon, a computer manufacturer, founded the squad in 2017 and signed their official lineup. Aside from competing in the Worlds, the team also competes in the League of Legends Champions Korea (LCK), the country’s top-level league. DWG Kia already won the title during the 2020 LCK summer finals with their excellent skills.
The team also won the 2020 World Championship in the same year after putting on a strong showing. They also continued to put in a strong showing in the 2021 season. Here’s a closer look at their current lineup:
- ‘Burdol’ – Noh Tae-yoon
- ‘Hoya’ – Yoon Yong-ho
- ‘Canyon’ – Kim Geon-bu
- ‘ShowMaker’ – Heo Su
- ‘deokdam’ – Seo Dae-gil
- ‘Kellin’ – Kim Hyeong-gyu
T1
The most championships in the Worlds are held by SK Telecom T1 or T1. They are regarded as one of the strongest teams in the event, having won three titles (2013, 2015, and 2016).
They’ve played over 300 professional League of Legends games and have consistently achieved amazing outcomes. T1 is also known as the first and only team to have attained a perfect regular season. They achieved this during the LCK 2022 Spring. This makes them a popular wagering option for those who bet on every World Cup competition.
Some of their active players include:
- ‘Zeus’ – Choi Woo-je
- ‘Oner’ – Moon Hyeon-joon
- ‘Keria’ – Ryu Min-seok
- ‘Asper’ – Kim Tae-gi
- ‘Faker’ – Lee Sang-hyeok
- ‘Gumayusi’ – Lee Min-hyeong
Royal Never Give Up (RNG)
RNG is another team that many fans look forward to seeing every time there is an upcoming tournament. This team who won the previous Mid-Season Invitational (MSI) had a hard time in the LPL where they failed to secure the championship.
Though they may have had a hard time during the said competition, there is no doubt that their skills are remarkable enough to help them rank up the LoL leaderboards. With that, here is a closer look at their current roster of players:
- ‘Bin’ – Chen Ze-Bin
- ‘Wei’ – Yan Yang-Wei
- ‘Xiaohu’ – Li Yuan-Hao
- ‘GALA’ – Chen Wei
- ‘Ming’ – Shi Sen-Ming
- ‘Bunny’ – Liu Wen-Kang
MAD Lions
Mad Lions, previously known as Splice, is another impressive team to watch out for in the Worlds even though they may have suffered from an unimpressive loss in the 2021 stage. Though they may have lost, the fact that they stand as two-time champions in the League of Legends European Championship (LEC) can’t be erased.
If there’s one factor players love most about this team, it is their ability to turn the game in their favour. Given the high expectations for this team, people are curious about what they have in store every season. Here is a closer look at their active playing roster:
- ‘Armut’ – İrfan Berk Tükek
- ‘UNF0RGIVEN’ – William Nieminen
- ‘Kaiser’ – Norman Kaiser
- ‘Elyoya’ – Javier Prades Batalla
- ‘Reeker’ – Steven Chen
Fnatic
Fnatic is the first team in history to win the World Championship. They may not have recaptured the top rank yet but they have established themselves as a serious contender in the tournament. In the tournament’s 2018 season, Fnatic came in second, demonstrating that they can compete with players from South Korea and China.
Their outstanding lineups and strategy are two of the things that fans like the most. Here are some of their active players:
- ‘Wunder’ – Martin Nordahl Hansen
- ‘Razork’ – Iván Martín Díaz
- ‘Hylissang’ – Zdravets Iliev Galabov
- ‘Nisqy’ – Yasin Dinçer
- ‘Humanoid’ – Marek Brázda
- ‘Upset’ – Elias Lipp
These are just some of the most popular League of Legends teams that players would have to watch out for whenever some of the biggest tournaments take place. By learning more about what these teams have to offer, people can be more eager to see how amazing it is to bet on LoL tournaments!