Introduction: The S15 season has officially begun, and the majority of players have been paying close attention to the recent matchups. The tournaments in all major regions have reached their final phase. Looking at the overall landscape, the LCK region still shows strong stability and a high probability of taking the title. After a long interval, the LPL region is hosting the Worlds again at home, and the officials are doing their utmost to retain the championship within the LPL. According to insiders, this time the LPL will assemble an ultra-premium practice squad, selecting members from top teams, with the coaching staff already confirmed. Former EDG head coach Maikai will lead the group. Perhaps due to pent-up anticipation, HN has driven ticket prices up to four times their original value, and demand is exceeding supply.

LPL assembles an ultra-premium practice dream team

Most players are highly interested in the S15 World Championship. It has been many years since the LPL region last hosted Worlds. Back in the S7 season, LPL fans were full of confidence. That year’s meta favored the bottom lane, and the emergence of champions like Karma and Lulu helped LPL teams soar. Both WE and RNG reached the semifinals, placed in different brackets. Before the semifinals, everyone anticipated an LPL final showdown. However, the LCK region proved too dominant that year; teams like SKT and Samsung crushed the LPL squads, ultimately securing the championship early for LCK.

The S7 season remains a heavy burden on LPL fans’ hearts. Although the LPL has since won three World Championships, the shadow of that year’s finals at the Bird’s Nest stadium still lingers vividly. After so many years, with the Worlds returning to LPL’s home turf, the goal is clearly to keep the trophy in China. According to multiple insiders, the LPL officials have now formed a super-luxury practice team by selecting top professional players from various teams. This practice squad will fully support the competing teams to improve their form, with only one goal in mind: to unite and win the championship together.

Although the main roster has not yet been revealed, the coaching leader has been identified—most likely former EDG head coach Maikai. He led EDG to victory in S11 by defeating several top teams from both LPL and LCK, demonstrating strong individual skill and top-tier game understanding. After leaving EDG, he has worked with several other teams. Of course, he is probably just one member of the coaching staff, as other coaches will join as well, so there’s no worry about a single voice dominating. Overall, the intention is clearly to benefit the LPL.

Although the World Championship has not yet started, preparations are already in full swing, and ticket sales have sparked widespread discussion among players online. This time, ticket prices for the home event have risen significantly. Combined with HN’s involvement, tickets were sold out immediately, with some insiders revealing that their software had a 90% success rate in grabbing tickets. Ticket prices have now quadrupled and remain in short supply—tickets originally priced at 688 have been resold for 2300, and those at 1788 have jumped to 4300. It seems the official ticketing system still lacks strict controls, as there are many ways to bind and pay later, yet HN scalpers still appear. This indicates there are still issues to address.

Goodbye thoughts

This time the LPL region is truly going all out, but judging from this year’s performance, the LCK region remains stronger. Whether it’s Gen.G, HLE, or T1, these teams are hard to shake. Especially T1: although seeded fourth in LCK, they are very likely to qualify for the main event. Once at Worlds, T1’s momentum activates, having reached the finals three years in a row—not just empty talk.

What do you, the audience, think about this situation?