With less than two weeks to go until League of Legends Worlds 2021 kick off, fans all over the world are excited to see which teams takes home the world championship. The upcoming tournament has a great mix of strong contenders who dominated the regional events as well as underdogs who surprised everyone and have reached the biggest stage in League of Legends esports. Highlighted ahead are some of the best teams to support in the upcoming world championships if you have not made up your mind just yet.
If you are wondering what the general consensus of the community is currently, here are the top teams that you can follow this year. The teams were selected based on the Reddit Worlds 2021 power rankings with over 18,000 players contributing to it.
Who should you root for at Worlds 2021
If you do not already have a favorite team to cheer for, here are some of the contenders who are worthy of your support.
Fan Favorites - FunPlus Phoenix (China)
FunPlus Phoenix is the number one contender to win World’s 2021. The team came second in the LPL Spring and Summer events in 2021 and it won the 2019 World Championship previously. The team knows what a Worlds victory feels like and it will be rearing to go at yet another world championship this year.
Some of the best players in the team you should keep an eye out for include Jang “Nuguri” Ha-gwon and Gao “Tian” Tian-Liang. The team is currently seeded second in China but fans who voted in the power rankings are confident in the team’s ability to secure a Worlds 2021 win.
Defending World Champions - DWG KIA / DAMWON Gaming (South Korea)
DWG KIA is neck-to-neck in the power rankings with FPX, and it is currently the best South Korean team in League of Legends. DWG KIA has been dominating the Korean League of Legends scene since 2019 and it won the previous Worlds event.
The inclusion of Kim “Khan” Dong-ha as a top laner in November 2020 saw mixed feedback from fans. While the player has performed admirably in the regional events, it remains to be seen how he performs at Worlds. Heo “ShowMaker” Su, who has been with DWG for the longest time is a fan favorite and he will be looking to repeat his stellar performances from Worlds 2020 this year.
China’s Finest - EdWard Gaming (China)
While EdWard Gaming is currently seeded as the best team in China, fans are wary of the team’s potential in the international stage. The team found success by developing counter-strategies for the aggressive playstyle that Chinese teams like FPX are known for. It remains to be seen if the team can adapt to the international stage.
The team will need to rethink its strategies but it is one of the strongest contenders this year with Park “Viper” Do-hyeon and Lee “Scout” Ye-chan putting on dominant performances all-year long. The team will need to adapt its strategies for the international stage, but with the talented roster that it has, it should not be difficult to achieve.
The Dark Horses - MAD Lions (Europe)
European champion MAD Lions has proven itself to be the best team in the region and it will be looking to retake its Summoner’s Cup which it earned back in Season 1. Despite the liveliness and jovial nature of the players even in the biggest of events, the Lions know when it’s time to get serious.
The regional champions boast of some of the best players in the world including Marek “Humanoid” Brázda and İrfan “Armut” Berk Tükek. After winning the Summer and Spring playoffs in the LEC this year, the team has the confidence it needs heading into Worlds 2021.
The Demon King’s Squad - T1 (Korea)
T1 is set to compete in Worlds once again and with Lee “Faker” Sang-hyeok by its side, the team will be looking to compete against the best in the world and take home the Summoner’s Cup. Faker, is also known as the Unkillable Demon King, a title that he earned out of respect and fear from the League community in around 2014-2015, lives up to his name and is the most successful player in the game’s history.
Three-time champion Faker will be on everyone’s watchlist. But his teammate Ryu "Keria" Min-seok who made his way to T1 from DragonX has quickly proven himself to be one of the best players in the world.
League of Legends Worlds 2021: Where to watch
The event will kick off on 5th October 2021 and the grand finals are set to take place on 6th November. The tournament will be streamed live on lolesports.com as well as on YouTube and Twitch.
Twitch: https://www.twitch.tv/riotgames