With three phases in the LPL Summer Playoffs, which teams will make it through?
The League of Legends Professional League (LPL) Summer Playoffs are about to kick off, with a new format giving six of the bottom teams from the Rumble Stage a final chance to get into the bracket, while six of the top teams are already waiting.
With a long journey ahead, which teams are most likely to make it out of the Knights Rivals stage and into the second phase of the Playoffs? Which teams will make it to the Grand Finals? Here are some of the teams you need to look out for:
Phase 1: Knights Rivals Phase: Oh My God (OMG)
Among the six teams in this stage, only three will advance to the next phase. Oh My God (OMG) is a standout team to watch. Although OMG had a rough start in the group stage, finishing with a 0-6 standing in Group C, they turned things around in the Rumble Stage in Group Nirvana, emerging on top of 8 other teams with a 6-1 standing. Their only series loss was against ThunderTalk Gaming.
If OMG can maintain their composure and defeat ThunderTalk Gaming in the Knights Rivals phase, they have a strong chance to advance further, with potential matchups against FunPlus Phoenix and Anyone’s Legend.
However, OMG will need a miraculous run from the second phase onward if they want to stay in the competition, likely facing Top Esports as the final boss in this phase of the Playoffs.
Phase 2: King of the Hill - Top Esports
In this phase, Top Esports is the team that stands out the most. They had an impeccable 6-0 run in the Group Stage and secured a third-place finish in the Rumble Stage. With former world champions in their roster, Top Esports has a solid chance to reach the Grand Finals.
Their win condition hinges on their jungler, Gao “Tian” Tian-Liang, who currently has the highest KDA from Group Ascend. If Tian can maintain a stable jungle-mid synergy with Lin “Creme” Jian and enable top-laner Bai “369” Jia-hao, Top Esports can succeed in team fights and win matches.
Phase 3: Double-Elimination - Bilibili Gaming and LNG Esports
Bilibili Gaming (BLG) and LNG Esports are the teams to beat in the Playoffs, having both qualified for the Double-Elimination bracket. BLG qualified for the Rumble Stage Ascend group after dominating Group B with a 5-1 record in the Group Stage, while LNG finished second in Group C with a 3-3 record.
In the Rumble Stage, BLG and LNG were neck and neck, both dominating the Ascend Group with a 7-1 record. BLG, one of the strongest teams in the LPL and the world, has the best chance to take it all. For them to succeed, they need to set up mid-laner Zhuo “knight” Ding and AD Carry Zhao “Elk” Jia-hao to snowball and carry team fights.
For LNG, their win condition relies heavily on their bottom laner, Chen “GALA” Wei. When GALA is well-supported and can gain an early advantage, LNG excels in their matches. Ensuring strong team synergy and map control to facilitate GALA's aggressive playstyle will be crucial for LNG's success in making it to the Grand Finals. To further solidify a potential success, Lee “Scout” Ye-chan also needs to shine and be the surprise carry of the team, especially if they go head-to-head against BLG.
While these teams are the front-runners, this doesn’t mean that other contenders like JD Gaming or Weibo Gaming should be ignored—and there’s always a chance for an upset along the way. Which team are you rooting for?
