These Eight Teams Can Potentially Shake Up Worlds 2018

Kiboo

Tuesday, September 25, 2018
8:00 pm

| LOL

24 teams, 1 World Champion.

The 24 teams competing in the 2018 League of Legends World Championship have finally been decided. This year, as the best LoL teams across the world converge on hallowed League ground, the Summoner’s Cup is up for grabs for any team willing to rise to the challenge.

The SKT dynasty has fallen even before Worlds started. This year’s Worlds is anybody’s tournament given the sheer amount of talent across the different teams. Among the 24 teams set to compete at Worlds 2018 there are some more deserving of your attention than others. Here are eight teams that you should be keeping an eye on in the upcoming 2018 League of Legends World Championship.

KT Rolster: Heirs Apparent

South Korea’s KT Rolster head into this year’s World Championship as a first time for their new lineup. The team is comprised of Worlds finalists, veterans, and two former world champions. A plague has loomed over KT since their formation earning them the bad reputation of failing to live up to the hype levied onto them by supporters and fans.

This year they enter Worlds as South Korea’s number one seed, leading the rest of the pack in the defense on their own home court. The current KT Rolster may not have much in the way of accolades but their performance in LoL Chamions Korea (LCK) speaks of their strength that managed to overturn their misfortune. The pressure is on for the perceived heirs apparent to the world championship to succeed where SK Telecom T1 have failed.

Flash Wolves: Undeterred Hunters

Roster shuffles are expected to happen at the tailend of every competitive season and some teams are unlucky enough to lose some key members that contribute to their success. The Flash Wolves lost their star jungler Karsa prior to the 2018 season, but that did nothing to deter their tight grip on the top spot in the LoL Masters Series (LMS).

Despite the loss of one of the members that comprised the foundation of the Flash Wolves that went toe-to-toe with SKT on a number of instances, the Taiwanese powerhouse remained at the top of the LMS ladder throughout the year. FW fared much better in their local league compared to the once powerful ahq e-Sprts Club. Look to Flash Wolves to shake up this year’s Worlds as they’ve done time and again in the past.

Royal Never Give Up: End of the Line

China’s number one team is poised to take over the entirety of the 2018 League of Legends World Championship. Royal Never Give Up is heading into Worlds 2018 on an amazing championship streak after winning both 2018 LoL Pro League (LPL) titles, and the 2018 Mid-Season Invitational crown. Some of their players were also part of the gold medal team that represented China in the 2018 Asian Games.

Uzi returns to a World Championship event on South Korean soil in what looks to be his best chance to finally take home the Summoner’s Cup for his country. The absence of an SKT presence at the Worlds should not take away from the gravity of RNG’s achievements in 2018. This may be Uzi’s final shot at the Summoner’s Cup following several statements regarding health issues. Should Uzi and RNG pull off the upset in a World Championship held on South Korean soil, it will be the ultimate victory for Uzi who has already tasted bitter defeat at the hands of two South Korean teams in a Worlds final.

Invictus Gaming: The Specter

Invictus Gaming made it to this year’s world championship by virtue of securing the most championship points in their region. The lineup is bolstered by former world champion Duke manning the top lane for the team. iG joins RNG as both teams look to finally win the first world championship for China across 8 years.

Gen.G: King’s Reign

The defending world champions aren’t in the best shape after barely scraping towards the third qualifier slot for South Korea. Regardless of their lackluster performance across the majority of the season, GG pulled off a miraculous run in the last chance Regional Finals. Gen.G took down SKT, Griffin, and Kingzone DragonX, on their way to Worlds 2018.

Gen.G is in no way a weak team and despite finding themselves in an underdog position at Worlds 2018, it’s not an unfamiliar place for the defending World Champions. Teams and analysts have neglected the previous Samsung Galaxy squad in both the 2016 and 2017 world championship, but the Crown-led squad made it to the grand finals in both cases. Their previous accomplishments may have put them in a precarious position where hype is scarce, but that is precisely where Gen.G shines brightest.

Cloud9: Miracle Makers

North America’s third seeded team, Cloud9, will be kicking off worlds from the dreaded Play-In stage. They will have to fight for the chance to claim one of the four slots in the main event. Things may look grim for the longstanding NA squad, but their ability to overcome dire situations was proven in the most recent split of the North American LoL Championship Series (NA LCS).

Cloud9 came back from the absolute bottom of the ladder to secure a grand finals slot in the NA LCS Summer Playoffs. They would eventually lose to Team Liquid before closing out the last chance Regional Finals to book their tickets to worlds. The current Cloud9 roster features a couple of rookies that have never seen play on an international stage before but their skills are not to be underestimated.

Fnatic: Shadows of an Empire

The case for the EU LoL Championship Series (EU LCS) is an odd one. The tantalizing prospects of the NA LCS have lured away most of the local talent in the EU region, leaving behind only the most loyal players to keep the game’s first kingdom alive. Fnatic leads the way for the European offensive on the road to Worlds 2018.

Fnatic have improved from their rocky 2017 season where they entered the world championship as the third seed. Now their tried and tested lineup returns with the weight of the entire region resting on their shoulders. Fnatic made it as for as the quarterfinals stage in the previous world championship, just how far can Rekkles and the rest of his squad make it this year?

Wild Wild Card

Teams from the lesser known countries and regions have a tendency of mixing up the competition in previous world championships from 1907 Fenerbahçe in 2017 to Albus Nox Luna in 2016. Albus even went as far the quarterfinals stage during Worlds 2016. It would be a mistake to disregard any team Play-In stage just because of the country the hail from. It was once a team from a wildcard region that shook the entire League of Legends scene by claiming the Summoner’s Cup in the 2012 League of Legends World Championship.

It should also go without saying that the wildcard teams tend to provide some of the more interesting matches on the various Worlds stages. Look to the 12 teams locked in heated battle in the Play-In stage to provide some amazing plays.

The 2018 League of Legends World Championship kicks off with the 12-team Play-in stage on October 1, 2018 live from Seoul, South Korea. The future of the game is uncertain as absolutely any one of the 24 teams has the chance of taking home the coveted Summoner’s Cup. Catch all the Worlds 2018 action to support your favorite team!