League of Legends Europe's Record: The Truth Behind the Claim of 'Surpassing Korea and China'

In the history of League of Legends, Europe has never had such a successful international year against opponents from Korea and China. As of this point in the 2026 season, LEC teams have won a total of 9 series against LCK, LPL, and LCP teams, while losing only 6. This is an unprecedented number in recent years. However, behind that impressive figure is a more complex picture that requires fans to view it with caution. The 2026 season marks a turning point in the landscape of world League of Legends. International tournaments such as First Stand, MSI, Esports World Cup (EWC), and the upcoming World Championship (Worlds) 2026 have witnessed the strong rise of teams from Europe. According to official data, as of before Worlds 2026, LEC teams have a head-to-head record against LCK, LPL, and LCP teams of 9-6 in series and 26-24 in games. This is the first time in history that European teams have an overall winning head-to-head record against Korean and Chinese teams in a single season. To understand this figure better, we need to break it down by opponent. Against LCK teams, LEC has a 4-3 series record. Against LPL teams, the record is 2-2 in series but they are losing 6-10 in games. Thus, if we consider only the match-up against LPL, Europe is still at a disadvantage. This shows that the claim of 'surpassing Korea and China' is somewhat exaggerated, as in reality Europe only truly surpasses LCK, while still trailing LPL. The brightest spot in Europe's achievements comes from G2 Esports. This team has had incredibly impressive wins, including victories over BNK FearX, Gen.G, and T1. Most notably, the 3-0 victory over Gen.G at First Stand 2026 is a highly reliable result because it is a BO5 format where luck is minimized. Previously, Gen.G was considered to have a near-perfect run at LCK Cup 2026 with a 26-2 game record. G2's victory over such a Gen.G is a strong signal. Besides G2, Karmine Corp also made its mark by defeating T1 at EWC. However, upon closer inspection, Europe's success in 2026 mainly comes from these two teams. Other LEC teams seem to have contributed little to the overall 9-6 record. This raises the question: is this a rise of an entire region, or just a phenomenon of a few individual teams? Another notable point is the contrast with North America. While LEC has a 9-6 record, LCS (North America) is completely outmatched with a 0-6 series record and 3-21 in games against Eastern opponents. This stark divergence between the two Western regions suggests that the center of gravity of the West is shifting towards Europe. This could be a structural signal, as the collapse of LCS has long been predicted due to ecosystem issues. Looking back, Europe went through a long period of failure against Eastern opponents. In 2026, LEC teams won 0/7 series against LCK and LPL. In 2026, the number was 1/7. In 2026, it was 1/9. By 2026, they have 6 wins. This is a sudden V-shaped change, indicating a real turning point. However, the season is not over, and Worlds 2026 will be the final test. For an objective view, we must acknowledge some data limitations. First, the 2026 season is still ongoing, and the current record is only part of the year. Second, the statistics are aggregated from tournaments of different nature and format, including First Stand, MSI, and EWC. Combining these tournaments without weighting can distort the overall picture. Third, the original article does not mention any information about the patch version, rosters, or match details. This makes it impossible to explain the reasons behind Europe's rise. It is worth noting that the original analysis does not mention any financial information, such as team budgets, salaries, or transfer deals. This means we cannot know whether Europe's rise is supported by financial resources or is simply the result of a favorable competitive window. Similarly, there is no data on individual player performance, making it impossible to assess the reasons for G2's or KC's success. In League of Legends, individual factors play a huge role, and the lack of player data significantly reduces the depth of analysis. A contrarian view suggests that Europe's success may not be due to a great leap forward by LEC, but rather a temporary decline of LCK and LPL. Specifically, T1 losing to both G2 and Karmine Corp in the same year raises the question of whether T1 is going through a down cycle. If so, part of Europe's success comes from their strongest opponents no longer being at their peak. Moreover, the absence of information about the meta, rosters, and rule changes makes any conclusion about a power shift speculative. It is worth remembering that in League of Legends history, there have been many times when the West was expected to rise, only to fail at major tournaments. 2026 could be such a year. LEC teams have had impressive wins, but to be truly recognized as a force, they need to prove it at Worlds - where all the strongest teams attend with their best rosters and meticulous preparation. So what is the key point? Europe's 9-6 record is an encouraging signal, but not enough to confirm a power shift. This is especially true considering Europe still loses to LPL in games (6-10). G2's rise is real, but for the whole region to progress, more is needed. Worlds 2026 will be the final answer. If LEC teams can go deep and compete evenly with LCK and LPL, that will be evidence of a sustainable change. If not, this could just be a fleeting moment for a few teams in a season where the Eastern giants are struggling. From an industry perspective, LEC's rise can be seen as a positive signal for Riot Games, as a competitive League of Legends scene in the West helps balance the global narrative and attract fans. However, it should be noted that this change may be temporary. If LEC truly rises, it could lead to a shift in sponsorship and fan attention from North America to Europe. But these are speculations without verified data. Currently, public opinion tends to praise Europe as a new power. However, we must be cautious of exaggerated claims. The original article's title - 'For the first time, European League of Legends has a record surpassing Korea and China' - reflects the public's excitement. But as analyzed, this achievement mainly comes from G2, and Europe still loses to LPL in games. If Worlds 2026 does not go as expected, there could be a backlash claiming Europe was overrated. This is a communication risk. In the context of the transfer window and rampant rumors, keeping a cool head is crucial. Fans should closely monitor the results of Worlds 2026, as well as the form of teams like T1 and Gen.G, to see whether this is a new cycle or just an anomaly. Data doesn't lie, but readers need to know how to interpret it. Finally, regardless of the outcome, 2026 has marked an important milestone in League of Legends history. For the first time, Europe has a year with a positive overall head-to-head record against Korea and China. That is a notable event, but it needs to be viewed with caution and multi-dimensional analysis. Only time and upcoming matches will tell whether this is the beginning of a new era or just a brief moment.