Worlds is here again. The patch is locked, the travel pics are out, and we’re about to find out which teams actually show up when it matters. The event’s in China this time, and every region’s sending what they’ve got – some real contenders, some long shots, and a few we’re not sure about yet.

Let’s run through the field. The teams at the top, the ones that could go either way, and the ones that’ll need something special to make it out alive.

Favorites

These are the big ones. The teams that people already expect to make deep runs in Worlds 2025. They’ve done it before, and they’ve got the form to do it again.

Gen.G (LCK)

Gen.G look calm and confident, like a team that’s been here a thousand times. They control the map, they play slow when they have to, and they don’t throw. Their mid and jungle setup is too clean, and if you make a mistake, they don’t give it back. With Worlds being played in China and the meta leaning toward smart setups, Gen.G are built for it.

Roster: Kiin, Canyon, Chovy, Ruler, Duro.

Hanwha Life Esports (LCK)

HLE started the year looking shaky but ended up peaking when it mattered. Peanut and Zeka finally look in sync, Zeus gives them stability on top, and Viper’s been sharp all season. They haven’t figured out how to beat Gen.G yet, but they’re ahead of most of the field.

Roster: Zeus, Peanut, Zeka, Viper, Delight.

Bilibili Gaming (LPL)

BLG play fast and keep the tempo high. Bin never stops fighting, Knight still controls mid better than almost anyone, and Elk’s been the closer. They can get messy sometimes, but when they’re on, it’s clean and efficient.

Roster: Bin, shad0w (Beichuan), knight, Elk, ON.

T1 (LCK – Play-In)

T1 being in the Play-In felt weird, but they had the experience to handle it. Faker’s still the guy that holds it together, Oner’s had a good bounce back split, and Keria’s creativity in draft gives them an edge. They went right through Invictus Gaming in the Play-In, and are right back in the contender talk.

Roster: Doran, Oner, Faker, Gumayusi, Keria.

Anyone’s Legend (LPL)

Anyone’s Legend weren’t expected to reach this level, but here they are. Tarzan’s been the key piece all year, setting up clean early games. Flandre’s experience on top has helped too. They’re solid, not perfect, but dangerous if they get momentum.

Roster: Flandre, Tarzan, Shanks, Hope, Kael.

Mid-Tier

These are the teams that sit in the middle. Some days they look like contenders, other days they fall apart. It’s all about form for this group.

Top Esports (LPL)

TES can beat anyone or lose to anyone. They have great players, but their form swings a lot. Kanavi’s calls can win games on their own, and JackeyLove’s still the player that can decide fights out of nowhere. The key is staying consistent — which they rarely do.

Roster: 369, Kanavi, Creme, JackeyLove, Hang.

KT Rolster (LCK)

KT Rolster are exactly what you expect from Korea — patient, structured, no panic. They play safe and wait for mistakes. It’s not flashy, but it works. They’re not the type to crush teams, but they’ll grind out wins in long games.

Roster: PerfecT, Cuzz, Bdd, deokdam, Peter.

FlyQuest (Americas – LTA)

FlyQuest found stability after a rough start to the year. Bwipo and Inspired control the early game, and Quad’s improvement mid-split gave them more tools. They don’t rely on chaos, which might help them survive the Swiss format.

Roster: Bwipo (Gakgos), Inspired, Quad, Massu, Busio.

G2 Esports (LEC)

G2 are always the European hope. Caps is still their playmaker, BrokenBlade’s champion pool helps them mix things up, and Hans Sama gives them late-game strength. The problem is keeping the pace against the Asian teams. They can do it, but they’ll need to hit form early.

Roster: BrokenBlade, SkewMond, Caps, Hans Sama, Labrov.

Underdogs

These are the long shots. They’re not expected to win it all, but Worlds always has one team that breaks through from this list.

CTBC Flying Oyster (LCP)

CFO play brave. They fight early, they trade evenly, and they trust Doggo to carry when the time comes. If the matchups go their way, they could surprise someone.

Roster: Rest/Driver, JunJia, HongQ, Doggo, Kaiwing.

Movistar KOI (LEC)

KOI are aggressive and unafraid. Elyoya runs the tempo, Jojopyun pushes pressure, and Supa/Alvaro hold up well under it. They’ll create fights even when they shouldn’t, and sometimes it works perfectly.

Roster: Myrwn, Elyoya, Jojopyun, Supa, Alvaro.

Fnatic (LEC)

Fnatic have rebuilt again. Poby’s done well stepping into mid, Upset’s back in form, and Razork still finds early openings. They don’t look like peak Fnatic yet, but they’re not far.

Roster: Oscarinin, Razork, Poby, Upset, Mikyx.

Vivo Keyd Stars (Brazil – LTA)

VKS are fearless. They love to fight, they don’t wait, and sometimes that chaos catches teams off guard. Boal and Trymbi give them leadership, and Mireu’s been solid mid.

Roster: Boal, Disamis, Mireu, Morttheus, Trymbi.

Team Secret Whales (Vietnam – LCP)

Secret Whales play without fear. Taki’s engages can flip fights, Eddie’s improving fast, and they’re willing to take coin flips others won’t. That makes them hard to predict.

Roster: Hiro02, Hizto, Dire, Eddie, Taki.

PSG Talon (LCP)

PSG Talon rely on their veterans. Maple and Karsa control mid and jungle, Betty closes fights, and Woody keeps them stable. They won’t crush anyone, but they rarely throw leads either.

Roster: Azhi, Karsa, Maple, Betty, Woody.

100 Thieves (Americas – LTA)

100T had to fight for their Worlds spot. River’s experience kept them composed, Sniper’s laning looks strong, and FBI’s the dependable closer. They’re not favorites, but they play solid League.

Roster: Dhokla, River, Quid, FBI, Eyla.

At the end of the day, it’s still Worlds – anything can happen. The favorites look strong, but that never means much once the games start. Some teams will fold, some will catch fire out of nowhere, and at least one underdog’s gonna ruin somebody’s pick’ems. That’s how it always goes.