Most fans have their eyes on the crowd favourites, but there are some breakout teams worth watching closely.
The 2024 League of Legends World Championship kicks off on Wednesday, 25 September, with the Play-Ins.
While most fans have their eyes on the crowd favourites, there are some breakout teams worth watching closely. These teams could surprise us, pulling off unexpected upsets or making deep runs through the tournament.
Here are five breakout teams to keep an eye on:
Hanwha Life Esports (HLE)
The reason HLE isn’t being listed among the outright favourites is because 2024 is the first time they’ve really broken out domestically. While their previous roster had moments of brilliance—like reaching the quarterfinals at Worlds 2021—they were never dominant in the LCK.
That changed this season when HLE signed Park "Viper" Do-hyeon, the 2021 World Champion, along with Kim “Zeka” Geon-woo, the 2022 World Champion. Teaming up with former Gen.G members Choi “Doran” Hyeon-joon, Han “Peanut” Wang-ho, and Yoo “Delight” Hwan-joong, the roster is stacked.
The team had a solid start in Spring 2024, finishing third. By Summer, their synergy improved, and they finished second in the Group Stage with a 14-4 record. In the Playoffs, they defeated T1 in the lower bracket before pulling off a dramatic 3-2 upset over Gen.G in the finals, securing their first LCK title.
As the LCK’s first seed, HLE’s strength lies in their decisiveness and crisp execution. If they can adapt to the Worlds meta and maintain composure, they’re in with a real shot to lift the Summoner’s Cup.
PSG Talon
PSG Talon have long been a dominant force in the Pacific region, especially with the Pacific Championship Series (PCS) consolidating talent from regions like Japan and Oceania. The team has only gotten stronger.
They had a strong Spring, finishing second and making it to the Bracket Stage at MSI 2024 after defeating FlyQuest.
Although they fell to Bilibili Gaming in the Upper Bracket, PSG Talon pushed them to a full five-game series before dropping to the Lower Bracket. They were eventually eliminated by G2 Esports in 7th-8th place after a 3-0 sweep.
In Summer, they dominated their competition, dropping just one game to Fukuoka SoftBank HAWKS in the PCS Grand Finals. Their synergy, particularly between veterans Huang “Maple” Yi-tang and Yu “JunJia” Chun-chia, has been their core strength.
To go far at Worlds, PSG Talon will need to fine-tune their mechanics and figure out how to take down the giants. It won’t be easy, but they’ve got the experience and the cohesion to pull off something big.
FlyQuest
FlyQuest may have secured their first LCS Summer Championship after an intense playoff run, but there are still concerns about how they’ll perform on the international stage.
Their showing at MSI 2024 was less than stellar, with a string of 0-2 losses leading to an early exit in 9th-10th place.
Despite this, the roster has displayed grit and perseverance throughout the year. In the Summer Season, FlyQuest finished third in the regular season and made a strong push in the upper bracket. However, they were knocked down by Team Liquid in a gruelling five-game series, losing 3-2.
FlyQuest quickly bounced back, sweeping 100 Thieves in the Lower Bracket Final and then reclaiming their momentum in the Grand Finals, where they secured a 3-1 victory, with the final game decided by their minion wave.
This championship win shows FlyQuest’s resilience, but they’ll need to maintain that level of performance to succeed at Worlds.
Team Liquid
Though they’re the second seed from the LCS, Team Liquid can’t be ignored. They dominated domestically, winning the 2024 Spring Championship and going undefeated in the Summer Group Stage. However, they fell short in the Summer Finals, losing 3-1 to FlyQuest.
At MSI, Liquid dropped to the Lower Bracket after being swept by Top Esports, but they rebounded with a strong 3-1 win over Fnatic before falling to T1 in the Quarterfinals, ending their run in 5th-6th place, tied with Top Esports.
Liquid has proven they can compete with the best, but they’ll need to stay composed under pressure if they want to make a deep run at Worlds.
Fukuoka SoftBank HAWKS
Although the LJL no longer has a guaranteed spot at Worlds, Fukuoka SoftBank HAWKS are representing Japan in 2024.
Led by veteran Shunsuke "Evi" Murase, they had a strong Summer, sweeping through the Japanese competition before losing to PSG Talon twice in the PCS Playoffs, finishing in second place.
Evi’s experience at Worlds and in the LEC will be key for the Hawks as they look to break through the Play-Ins and prove they belong on the world stage.
With the right mindset and preparation, they could make a run that silences the doubters.
These breakout teams might not be the top favourites, but their performances this year suggest they’re capable of shaking things up at Worlds 2024, if they focused on their strengths and improved on their weaknesses.
