As the League of Legends regional championships draw closer to the end, the big teams of each region are starting to show their full potential. Now, with each region at the peak of their competitive leagues, we can see which ones are actually looking threatening when it comes to the international stage. However, without actual games being played between them, we can only assume which of these regions can make it to the top as we watch the evolution of competitive play through the different parts of the world.
The Strongest League of Legends Regions
For a long time, the title of strongest League of Legends region belonged to the LCK, but now times are different. The fall of the great Korean dynasty has paved a way for the new kings to create history. The LPL is now considered the top League of Legends region with 2 World Championships in a row, they will be looking towards getting their 3rd one this year if they will bring their best performance on summoner’s rift.
Of course, the title of strongest League of Legends region only belongs to the region that brings it all home and wins the World Championships 2020. However, we can see how these regions are performing right now so their strength isn’t a secret that they hide from the world. To understand how it goes, we’ve subjectively ranked our League of Legends region tier list to show which region we think has the greatest chance to win worlds.
League of Legends Region Tier List
While it can be difficult to measure the overall strength of a region objectively, it can be measured with a little bit of game knowledge and understanding of how the current meta will favor the regions with different playstyles and drafts. Looking at how the teams from each region play from an international standpoint will help shed light on how wide the gap is among the competitive regions. So, without further ado, here are the different League of Legends regions ranked from best to worst:
1. League of Legends Pro League (China)
The LPL has been League’s shining star after toppling down the great Korean dynasty back in 2018. Looking at the region now, we can still see the organized aggression the LPL is known for in their games, averaging 20-40 kills each game. Their dominant victory over the LCK during the Mid-Season Cup secured their position as the top team in the East, striking fear on the rest of the world to show how well they play on the international stage.
Top Teams in the LPL with their Star Players:
- Top Esports – Knight (Mid), Jackeylove (Bot)
- Victory 5 – Weiwei (Jungle), PPgod (Supp)
- Invictus Gaming – Rookie (Mid), TheShy (Top)
- JD Gaming – Kanavi (Jungle), LvMao (Supp)
Top Esports is not only the top team in the LPL but also in the world according to many different team tier lists. The thing that makes LPL feel like the strongest League of Legends region is the fact that all of the Top 5 teams have a very small gap in terms of skills, unlike other regions where only 1 or 2 teams feel like they’re dominant. With the LPL sending 4 teams to worlds this year, they’re definitely going to be a force to be reckoned with.
2. League of Legends Champions Korea (Korea)
Many people might have expected the LEC to be on the number two spot but the LCK is here to prove them wrong. With 5 international titles on their belt, the region is tried and tested to compete on the big stage. They are looking to bring back glory to their region as they begin to solidify their teams by testing out new playstyles to replace the much outdated slow and steady strategy they’ve come to rely on all these years.
Top Teams in the LCK with their Star Players:
- DragonX – Chovy (Mid), Keria (Supp)
- Gen.G – BDD (Mid), Clid (Jungle)
- T1 – Faker (Mid), Teddy (Bot)
- Damwon Gaming – Showmaker (Mid), BeryL (Supp)
With Faker looking for his 4 title, he and his new team are thirsty to bring it back on the international stage. However, the other 3 higher ranked teams aren’t going to make it easier for them as they too have achieved a greater level of play. New names are taking over the LCK as the old gods of Korea have gone to pursue other careers. However, this region will always be on the frontline proving to everbody why they’ve always won time and again.
3. League of Legends European Championships (Europe)
The kings of the west have been hyped up since their ascension in the League since 2018 where they were back-to-back runner-ups. For the last 2 years, the LEC has looked better than even the LCK themselves but with the performance of the hyped teams during Summer Split, the LCK has once again proven who’s the better region. However, don’t get fooled as the difference between these Top 3 regions aren’t that wide.
Top Teams in the LEC with their Star Players:
- Mad Lions– Humanoid (Mid), Shad0w (Jungle)
- Rogue – Larssen (Mid), Inspired (Jungle)
- Fnatic- Rekkles (Bot), Selfmade (Jungle)
- G2 Esports – Caps (Mid), Jankos (Jungle)
Among all the League of Legends regions in the world, the LEC has the most dominant jungle presence in the game. Not even staying in your tower as the coordinated tower dives gives the EU such a strong early game snowball. G2 Esports, while underperforming, can still make another comeback and show the world why they were one of the most exciting teams to watch in the international scene.
4. League of Legends Championship Series (North America)
Despite all the NA jokes circling around the internet, it’s undisputed that the LCS is still the 4th best team among all other League of Legends regions. However, with only 2 teams actually making an impact in the League the disparity between 3rd and 4th is really high. This is not to say that they won’t be putting on a show on the international stage. However, it still stands that until now, North America has yet to be a top region.
Top Teams in the LCS with their Star Players:
- Cloud9 – Nisqy (Mid), Zven (Bot)
- Team Liquid – Impact (Top), CoreJJ (Supp)
Unfortunately for the North American League, they still rely on international talents, who have had successful careers in other regions, to bolster their rosters instead of developing young talents within the region. While a lot of these players are experienced, the newer players are getting brushed off. However, with the rise of rookies such as Tactical and Blaber, the NA might lean more towards developing their new players.
5. Vietnam Championship Series
Vietnamese League of Legends has had its rise and is famed for their overly-aggressive all-in tactics which aims to ramp up the kill score no matter what the cost. This year, the VCS has developed their players in order to play with a little bit more order, fixing their drafts to have fallbacks in case their all-in strategy fails. While they are far from being the best region in the world, they sure are full of surprises.
Top Teams in the VCS with their Star Players:
- Team Flash– Kati (Mid), Ego (Jungle)
- GAM Esports – Levi (Jungle), Kiaya (Top)
6. Pacific Championship Series (Hongkong, Taiwan, Macao, Southeast Asia)
With the merging of the LMS and the SEA league, the PCS is now showing promise again. However, with the lack of real competition, the region’s stability isn’t really well set in stone. They have a lot to prove when it comes to playing internationally but they seem ready enough to take on even the biggest of hurdles.
Top Teams in the PCS with their Star Players:
- ahq Esports Club– Kongyue (Jungle), Uniboy (Mid)
- J-Team – Rest (Top), Hana (Jungle)
7. League of Legends Continental League (Russia and CIS)
The LCL is the frontrunner of the wildcard regions with their performances almost slipping past the play-ins defeating other major regions. It is also arguable that this League of Legends region has what it takes to become one of the major regions in the world, but only if they prove themselves and make it out of both the Play-in stage and Group stage this worlds.
Top Teams in the LCL with their Star Players:
- Unicorns of Love– AHaHaCiK (Jungle)
- Gambit Esports – Diamondprox (Jungle)
8. Oceanic Pro League (Australia and New Zealand)
Another rising star among the wildcard regions, the OPL has shown very amazing results, even making appearances in international highlights. There’s a high chance that the OPL will make an appearance in this world’s group stage if they manage to slip through the bigger fish from the play-in stage.
Top Teams in the OPL with their Star Players:
- Legacy Esports– Babip (Jungle)
- ORDER – Eyla (Support)
9. Campeonato Brasileiro de League of Legends (Brazil)
Brazillian League of Legends is really fun to watch and has even gained major sponsors such as BMW. With the League starting to make a name out of itself, they are sure to bring an entertaining match to watch in the world stage. While they’re not at the level other teams are at yet, they surely won’t fall as easily as other League of Legends regions.
Top Teams in the CBLOL with their Star Players:
- paiN Gaming – CarioK (Jungle)
- ORDER – Eyla (Support)
10. Turkish Championship Series (Turkey)
While the Turkish League of Legends scene brings about really strong talents, most of the successful ones try to find careers in the LCS which why the League itself has fallen down so low. They may look underwhelming when compared to the top teams in the world stage, but they surely won’t go down without a fight.
Top Teams in the TCL with their Star Players:
- Istanbul Wildcats – Serin (Mid)
- Galakticos – Luger (Bot)
11. Liga Latinoamérica (Latin America)
League of Legends in Latin America has difficulty developing talented players but is a great starter league regardless. They are well-known in the international League of Legends scene but has always had difficulty producing results in the international scene. With the pace they are going at now, it’s only a matter of time before they rise up on the ladder of League of Legends regions, but unfortunately it ain’t this year.
Top Teams in the LLA with their Star Players:
- All Knights – Grell (Jungle)
- Isurus – Seiya (Mid)
12. League of Legends Japan League (Japan)
Japan is at the bottom of the barrel and is understandably so. Having such an inactive League of Legends scene as well as very little competition has caused them to become dull, only able to really practice once a year. If Japan is able to bolster its LoL community, then maybe they stand a chance of improving in the League.
Top Teams in the LJL with their Star Players:
- V3 Esports – Bugi (Jungle)
- Sengoku Gaming – Blank (Jungle)
What to Expect From the Different League of Legends Regions
With the League of Legends regions all competing to make sure that they produce only the best teams to send in the international stage, this year’s championships will surely be exciting. The fans have been wanting a finals match going the full best-of-5 but have been denied for so long. With the teams we have this year, it’s very possible to finally have the much-awaited grand finals that will keep you on the edge of your seats.
Additionally, with both the LPL and LEC sending 4 representatives each this year to the world stage, the competition will be extra hard as the East vs West showdown will most likely be between these two powerhouse League of Legends regions. Of course, that’s if Korea has anything to say about it and decides to regain their long-lost power to end the LPL streak once and for all and go on to win their 6th World Championships.
Who is the strongest team in 2020?
The strongest team in 2020 before worlds is Top Esports (TES), who won the Mid-Season Cup against fellow LPL team and former world champions, FunPlus Phoenix.
Which region has the most World Championship wins?
The League of Legends Champions Korea has the most World Championship wins with 5 titles (3 belonging to SKT and 2 belonging to Samsung Galaxy).
What is a wildcard region?
A wildcard region is a competitive League of Legends region which is not qualified to have a team placed on the Group Stage by default. They have to go through the Play-in stage to secure a group stage slot.