Following the conclusion of the LPL Global Finals qualifiers, the four World Championship representatives were set: BLG as first seed, AL second, TES third, and IG fourth. The top three teams qualified directly for the Swiss stage, while IG needed to go through the play-in round against T1 to earn a Swiss stage spot. These four teams representing the LPL were anticipated, with the exception of IG, the other three have claimed titles in different splits.

Looking back at this season, IG definitely profited despite heavy investments and a rollercoaster journey; they still made it to Worlds. In contrast, JD and Weibo had it rough. Recently, insider Red Tea revealed that JD has invested over 40 million for two straight years but failed to qualify for Worlds. If they don’t improve next year, they might just give up.

With a 40 million investment this year, JD couldn’t even make the top three among LPL clubs. Considering expenses over two years, JD clearly set a modest goal. Judging by results, their performance didn’t match the investment at all. Last year’s moves were puzzling—keeping Ruler but letting go of Left Hand and 369. Even with star mercenary Ruler, JD couldn’t reach Worlds.

This year, Ruler returned to LCK, but Peyz joined the LPL. Blue Lotus splurged heavily to snatch both from LNG. This roster setup was genuinely capable of making Worlds, but nobody expected Scout to underperform. Over three splits, the rookie’s form declined steadily. Although they barely made the play-in, they ultimately lost to IG. The star-studded team crashed hard, and JD became one of the biggest "unlucky" teams this year.

JD’s toughest problem now is that they’ve prepaid Scout’s salary, and without repaying, he can’t leave. Most likely, Scout will remain as mid laner next year. As for Peyz in the bot lane, he probably won’t stay. With Scout’s poor form, keeping both will make success difficult. During transfer season, Peyz will either return to LCK or join another team. However, top LPL teams seem well-stocked with strong AD carries.

Weibo is in a similar situation to JD. Though their roster looks undervalued, the players’ market values are quite high. Insider Red Tea previously revealed Weibo’s investment this year ranked third in the LPL, just behind BLG and IG, surpassing JD. That means it’s definitely over 40 million. Assuming 45 million, the average value per player is around 8 to 10 million.

Wow, Weibo’s roster value is so high, no wonder Tiger has been eating well and gaining weight over the years. Ranked third in investment but failing to reach Worlds and losing even to JD, Weibo is also one of the biggest "unlucky" teams this year. Management decisions were puzzling too—ignoring Hang and Erha’s development and insisting on bringing Liu Qingsong back. Now, missing Worlds is certain, and a rebuild is likely next year.

Redmi’s decision to cut Liu Qingsong already showed his decline, but Weibo didn’t trust Redmi’s judgment and ended up hurting themselves. Comparing Hang, who transferred to Top Esports and earned a first-team support spot while making Worlds with his brother, it’s clear who’s more at fault. If things don’t improve, maybe Weibo should sign Peyz next year; with him, they could try a four-protect-one strategy.

Conclusion:

Besides Weibo and JD, LNG also suffered pure losses this year. They failed to secure the Korean double C, and Left Mist then signed over a dozen players including Haichao, Weiwei, and Photic, all with decent market values. Their investment was less than JD’s but still in the tens of millions. Unfortunately, they finished last in all three splits. Left Mist’s reckless moves got him kicked out of LNG.

So, who do you think lost the most among these three teams?

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