T1 regains its form, G2 makes a statement, FlyQuest becomes LCS dark horse: The battle for MSI is closer than ever

Although the power levels of the groups are usually more clear the closer we get to the middle ground League of Legends season, this year things seem more difficult to predict.

The LCK is no longer just about Gen.G which dominates at home, and four-sided wars break out in almost every region. With only two slots in each league at MSI, the race for a ticket to Daejeon, South Korea, is still open.

Because T1win against Gen.G is more than W on the scoreboard. Throughout the years, Gen.G has often won T1 in the LCK, making the current world champions look like the #2 team.

However, this time, T1 proved to be strong and came back after dropping the first game of the best-of-three series. The highlight of the series is none other than T1’s bot lane, which has struggled to find success in recent weeks.

Their comeback can mainly be attributed to two reasons: the recent meta change that brought back the rise of the dragon stacking strategy, and the shine from T1 players, namely Peyz and Doran.

The top laner has been able to withstand the pressure by reverting to his comfortable weak picks while occasionally winning counter matchups when needed. Peyz, on the other hand, seems to have found himself at the top of the group, dishing out damage at the minute of the charts, according to the Games of Legends website.

“Peyz is not a passenger. Peyz drives the bus. T1 once again showed insanity in a high-level game,” said LCK caster Wolf in a post on X. “One of the best reviews I can remember. Camille’s layup in Game 3 was dangerous, but the duo’s execution was fantastic.”

For Gen.G, the concern is straightforward. Their bot lane seems not only gone, it became the team’s weakest link. In a meta where bot lane is an important part of how a team does mid game, Gen.G looks more vulnerable compared to previous seasons.

I’m talking about the top teams, KT RolsterA recent win against a team in first place Hanwha Life Esports made the battle for the play-offs much closer. HLE is still first with a 12-2 record, but KT Rolster is one win away, and both T1 and Gen.G are hiding behind them. And with Dplus Kia also in the picture, the battle is still going on.

On paper, however, HLE still looks like a team with a very high ceiling. Whenever they can organize on their own terms, this team looks very strong. The issue is calmness: they enjoy playing on the edge, a common pattern seen in groups led by the forest Kanavi.

KT saw this and prepared accordingly.

“KT did a great job tracking Kanavi on the map,” said a Reddit user. “The mistake most have been making is allowing Kanavi to run around the enemy jungle and get funny angles. When Kanavi is behind, most of the HLE’s explosives disappear very quickly.”

Although it’s only one series and HLE has shown its ability to adapt, the Road to MSI battle will be one to remember.

Among the top regions, the LPL is probably the one where the playing field seems clear, as Bilibili Gaming quietly sent another warning to the world.

The 2026 First Stand champions finished the regular season with a 12-2 record and an impressive 75% win rate, making them once again the clear favorites and the best candidate to represent China at MSI.

The record is only one part of the story. BLG had some hiccups in the middle of the split but it was clear that the team was testing themselves by giving themselves an uncomfortable draft. When you get to the point where you allow yourself to train on stage, you know that there is a certain confidence to succeed when it matters most.

The protagonist of BLG’s regular season run is Mid Laner Knight: he averaged 7 kills per game, the highest in the LPL in the last 12 years and the third highest in LPL history.

The question now shifts to who will join BLG at MSI? On paper, it looks like it will be a three-way battle between Top Esports, Anyone’s Legend, and JD Gaming, but you can count on dark horses like Weibo Gaming and Ninjas in Pajamas, who showed the ability to win in an unexpected way.

Although the LEC took a week off after the Madrid tour event, the EU teams were still busy with the Esports World Cup qualifiers.

In the end, it was G2 Esports and Karmine Corp who took the two spots. While the result itself was not surprising, G2 defeated KC 3-0, giving fans their first taste of what’s possible in the LEC Spring Playoffs.

Once again, it looks like G2 has found that extra step in their play, as it happened in the LEC Versus playoffs, which resulted in them winning the tournament and flying to Brazil for First Stand. For KC, the recent trend in performance seems to be a little worrying: the leading artist Canna was not able to create as much difference in the path as he used to, and KC’s team fight also looked very different as of late.

A Reddit user said: “I say since the start of the competitive year, KC doesn’t have all the macros. They only win hands down in teamfights.”

While KC is still one of the top teams in EU, the recent struggles could seriously hurt the team’s chances of securing an MSI, especially considering how Team Vitality performed during the regular split.

The LCS may not get as much attention as other leagues, but its playoffs have gotten some attention thanks to FlyQuest.

The team beat LYON in the final game of the regular season, finishing in fourth place with a 4-3 series record and showing continued improvement since the start of the year. FlyQuest has also started using rare picks, like Nasus in the jungle, to disrupt the meta.

And even if FlyQuest doesn’t make it to MSI, there’s still a big incentive to get into the top three as it will guarantee a funded bootcamp in South Korea, along with all the other MSI teams.

With no legal match and concerns about potential leaks, FLY can be the perfect partner for top teams, furthering their development.