Most fans are paying attention to the favorites, but there are still some potential teams worth keeping a close eye on.
The 2024 League of Legends World Championship will begin on Wednesday, September 25, with the Play-In round.
While the majority of fans are following the popular teams, there are some potential teams we should keep an eye on. These teams can create surprises, overthrow the big guys or advance deep into the tournament.
Here are five notable teams:
Hanwha Life Esports (HLE).
The reason HLE is not considered a top candidate is because 2024 is the first year they truly break out domestically. Their roster has had moments of excellence in the past — like reaching the quarterfinals at Worlds 2021 — but they have never dominated the LCK.
This changed this season when HLE recruited Park "Viper" Do-hyeon, the 2021 world champion, along with Kim “Zeka” Geon-woo, the 2022 world champion. Teaming up with former members of Gen.G is Choi “Doran” Hyeon-joon, Han “Peanut” Wang-ho, and Yoo “Delight” Hwan-joong, this lineup is really strong.
The team had an impressive start to Spring 2024, finishing in third place. By the summer, their chemistry improved and they finished the group stage in second place with a 14-4 record. In the Playoffs round, they defeated T1 in the lower bracket and then had a spectacular 3-2 comeback against Gen.G in the finals, winning their first LCK championship.
As the LCK's number one seed, HLE's strength lies in decisiveness and precise execution. If they can adapt to the Worlds meta and keep their spirits up, they have a great chance of lifting the Summoner's Cup.
PSG Talon.
PSG Talon has long been a dominant force in the Pacific region, especially as the Pacific Championship Series (PCS) brings together talent from regions such as Japan and Oceania. This team is getting stronger and stronger.
They had a successful Spring, placing second and making it to the Bracket Stage at MSI 2024 after defeating FlyQuest.
Despite being defeated by Bilibili Gaming in the upper bracket, PSG Talon dragged the match to a fifth game before being eliminated to the lower bracket. In the end, they were eliminated by G2 Esports in 7th-8th place after losing 0-3.
In the Summer, they dominated the tournament, losing only one match to Fukuoka SoftBank HAWKS in the PCS finals. The synergy between veterans Huang “Maple” Yi-tang and Yu “JunJia” Chun-chia is their core strength.
To go far at Worlds, PSG Talon needs to refine his skills and find ways to defeat the big guys. This will not be easy, but they have the experience and solidarity to make it happen.
FlyQuest.
FlyQuest may have won their first LCS Summer Championship after a tough Playoffs race, but there are still concerns about how they will perform on the international stage. Their performance at MSI 2024 is not impressive statue, with a string of failures.
0-2 resulted in an early exit at 9-10th place.
However, FlyQuest's squad has shown resilience and determination throughout the past year. In the Summer, FlyQuest finished third in the group stage and made a strong push into the upper bracket. However, they were defeated by Team Liquid in a five-game series, losing 2-3.
FlyQuest quickly recovered, defeating 100 Thieves in the lower bracket finals and then regaining form in the grand finals, where they won 3-1, with the final match being decided by their wave of minions. Surname.
This championship shows FlyQuest's resilience, but they will need to maintain that form if they want to succeed at Worlds.
Team Liquid.
Despite being the second seed of the LCS, Team Liquid cannot be overlooked. They dominated the domestic tournament, won the Spring 2024 championship and were undefeated in the Summer group stage. However, they failed in the Summer finals, losing to FlyQuest with a score of 1-3.
At MSI, Liquid were beaten in the lower bracket after losing to Top Esports, but they bounced back with a 3-1 win over Fnatic before losing to T1 in the quarterfinals, finishing 5-6, tied with Top Esports.
Team Liquid has proven that they can compete with the top teams, but they will need to keep their spirits up if they want to make a deep run at Worlds.
Fukuoka SoftBank HAWKS.
Although LJL no longer has a direct berth at Worlds, Fukuoka SoftBank HAWKS will still represent Japan in 2024.
Led by veteran Shunsuke "Evi" Murase, they had a strong Summer, sweeping their domestic opponents before losing twice to PSG Talon in the PCS Playoffs, finishing in second place.
Evi's experience at Worlds and the LEC will be key for HAWKS as they look to progress past the Play-In stage and prove that they are worthy of being on the world stage.
With the right spirit and careful preparation, they can create a journey that will amaze their fans.
These potential teams may not be top contenders, but their performances this year show they are capable of surprising at Worlds 2024, if they focus on their strengths and improve on their strengths. your weakness.