Introduction: The S15 season has officially started, and most players have been paying attention to the recent confrontations. With all the major regions concluding their matches, the World Championship spots are almost fully allocated. Recently, Riot officially released the team ranking list, surprising fans as the LPL region failed to break into the top three. More frustratingly, the third-place team AL actually became the highest-ranked LPL team, while the more consistent BLG settled for second place. The much-followed IG team has dropped out of the top ten, making it feel like the LCK dynasty is set to dominate this year’s Worlds again.

LOL Global Power Rankings Update

Most players are still very focused on the S15 World Championship. The rapid growth of the esports industry has caused significant fluctuations in League of Legends’ popularity. A few years ago, the hype surged quickly, gathering a large loyal fanbase. However, the unchanged tournament format in recent years has led many players to feel fatigued. Coupled with the retirement of some top-tier players, the LPL region’s popularity has dropped sharply. To boost attention, Riot personally formed the highly popular IG team. Judging by current performance, whether IG can secure a Worlds spot through domestic competition remains uncertain.

As the major regional competitions near their end, Riot has officially updated the League of Legends power rankings. Known as the “toxic milk” list that many follow closely, this update sees the LPL region underrated. At the top is undoubtedly the LCK’s Gen.G. Although they haven’t clinched the championship yet, their current form suggests KT won’t be able to stop their progress. The final showdown with HLE will decide the outcome. Ranked second is HLE, who are the champions of the first stage and at worst runners-up in the second stage, so their second place is unquestioned.

Third place goes to T1, who were runners-up in the second stage and placed fourth in the third stage, qualifying for the S15 Worlds. This ranking likely reflects some hope, as T1 has performed excellently at Worlds in recent years, reaching the finals three consecutive times and winning twice. The fourth spot finally belongs to an LPL team — AL, ranked first in LPL and fourth worldwide. Honestly, fans don’t agree with this ranking; after all, BLG won the third stage, so why are they placed below AL? Even more surprising is that FlyQuest is ranked above TES, proving once again this is the familiar “toxic milk” list.

As the tournament approaches, T1’s Worlds jerseys have been officially revealed, with prices that speak for themselves. A new wave of buyers is about to start. Jackets cost around 1000 yuan, while short sleeves reach 685 yuan. Honestly, compared to football club merchandise, these prices are quite steep. Yet, T1 fans’ buying power is undeniably strong; every jersey release sells out quickly. It seems even higher prices wouldn’t stop sales, so they have no worries about selling out. Price fluctuations are unlikely, and not increasing prices is already a positive.

Farewell Thoughts

With Worlds approaching, teams are entering critical adjustment phases. This Worlds will feature a patch update before it begins, which will certainly bring changes. It remains to be seen if LPL coaches and players can adapt quickly. Historically, LCK coaching staffs have been more effective in analyzing patches. Some well-known former LPL players have even openly stated that to win Worlds, one just needs to copy LCK strategies.

What do all of you viewers think about this situation?