LEC recently returned for the summer split. Here are Upcomer's League of Legends power rankings, both global and regional.

League of Legends global and regional power rankings for June 14

Who are the 10 best teams in the world?

Upcomer Staff

Published: Jun 14, 2021 04:00 pm

The League of Legends summer split has begun, and with it, the race towards Worlds. To help you navigate that race, Upcomer publishes updated League of Legends power rankings every week to track each region’s best contenders. There were a plethora of major roster swaps across regions, especially in the League of Legends European Championship, and now it’s time to prove those changes were worth making. Along with the new players, the new split also features two new champions, with Gwen and Viego finally enabled for pro play. Each new champ sits right around a 55% win rate as teams are learning how to best utilize their strengths.

10. G2 Esports, LEC

Record: 2-1

Results this week: 2-1

Movement this week: New

G2’s performance after LEC Week 1 grants them a place at the bottom of our global rankings. Even though they beat MAD Lions and SK Gaming, their loss to Schalke 04 still leaves question marks around them. After a disappointing end to the spring split, G2 will be eager to reclaim their title in this summer.

With only one addition to their coaching staff, not much has changed about the team in summer. The bot lane duo of Martins “Rekkles” Larsson and Mihael “Mikyx” Mehle are already demonstrating their role as a source of G2’s strength. Rekkles finished Week 1 with the second best Kill/Death/Assist ratio while Mixyx leads the statistics among supports.

However, G2 can only maintain that success if all five players play fully in sync. They’re still favorites to secure a playoffs spot and make it to Worlds, though.

— Rashidat Jimoh

9. PSG Talon, PCS

Record: —

Results this week: —

Movement this week: -3

The Pacific Championship Series 2021 summer split hasn’t started yet, but our eyes are still fixed on PSG Talon. At MSI 2021, they managed to impress by going toe-to-toe with the worlds’ best teams, especially RNG, all while playing with a sub ADC, Chiu “Doggo” Tzu-Chan. Once in the PCS, their starting bot laner, Wong “Unified” Chun, will be back on the lineup. They should just smash everyone, right?

The answer is “probably,” but we’d do well to keep an eye on the varying champion pools and strategic choices that come from the frontrunner of such a historically underrated region. The bar for PSG Talon is set at being capable of taking two games off of RNG. While they’re often marked down due to the PCS’s overall weaker competition, PSG have shown time after time they don’t let domestic success fully shape their understanding of the best way for their team to play.

Player health and safety will always remain paramount, but whenever we’re finally able to see a full PSG lineup (Unified and all) at an international event, we will have high expectations for this team.

— Nick Ray

8. MAD Lions, LEC

MAD Lions vs G2 Esports — Every player on MAD Lions is playing at their peak, making their chances of reaching the World Championship only a matter of time. | Provided by Riot Games

Record: 2-1

Results this week: —

Movement this week: -3

MAD Lions entered the summer split with barely a week of preparation after their MSI appearance and still looked impressive in Week 1. Their loss to G2, however, drops them to number 8 on our list. Nevertheless, they dominated their game against Fnatic, leaving no room for a comeback. Marek “Humanoid” Brázda proved unstoppable on Akali, finishing with a 8/1/8 KDA.

Furthermore, MAD’s jungler, Javier “Elyoya” Prades continued his fine form that earned him the rookie of spring split award. In two games on Volibear, he’s been involved in 23 kills for the team. The bottom lane duo is in a similar state to Elyoya, displaying their excellent team fighting ability. With all five players activated, MAD should have no problem winning their next few games and securing a playoff spot.

— Jimoh

7. T1, LCK

Record: 1-1

Results this week: 1-1

Movement this week: New

T1 are back in fighting form and finally have a stable roster. After a spring split that focused more on roster experimentation than anything else, the championship-winning organization has chosen its starting five. This iteration of T1 looks more coordinated and tactically sound based on their first few games in the LCK. For example, T1 smashed top four challengers Hanwha Life Esports in their opening bout.

The T1 solo lanes all performed to expectations. Lee “Faker” Sang-hyeok held strong against one of his greatest peers, Jeong “Chovy” Ji-hoon, and Kim “Canna” Chang-dong had no problem with his lane opponent. However, the real strong point on this roster is the bottom lane. Even in their loss to DWG KIA, Park “Teddy” Jin-seong and Ryu “Keria” Min-seok led the squad in team fights and laning prowess.

Keria may be the linchpin that keeps T1 together this split with his superb engages and laning skills synergy with his partner. As the LCK split rolls along, fans should look to T1 as a team to watch ahead of 2021 Worlds. They may climb to the top of the LCK, and Upcomer’s rankings.

— Declan McLaughlin

6. DWG KIA, LCK

DWG's Showmaker — Thanks to Showmaker’s performance, DWG KIA held on against a resurgent T1. | Provided by Riot Games

Record: 1-1

Results this week: 1-1

Movement this week: -2

DWG KIA came back to South Korea with the same affliction as most teams who played at MSI: the international event hangover. With little preparation for the slightly new meta and a shorter break than the other LCK squads, DK slipped in the international rankings and their home region.

The MSI finalists still put on a show in their two series but looked less polished overall. T1 took them to three games thanks, in part, to T1’s bottom lane outperforming DK’s and Faker’s playmaking. If it wasn’t for DK’s solo laners, Kim “Khan” Dong-ha and Heo “ShowMaker” Su, the series may have gone in a different direction.

Their KT Rolster series, on the other hand, looked like DK lost any energy they did have from the previous match. The 2020 World Champions still look like international contenders, but they may need time to regain their shine. But, with squads like T1 and KT clicking early, they could be left in the dust come the summer split playoffs.

— McLaughlin

5. JD Gaming, LPL

Record: 2-0 (4-0)

Results this week: 2-0

Movement this week: +3

JD Gaming may have a brand new look heading into the summer split but their roster remained the same, with the hope of rebounding from an early exit in the LPL spring split playoffs intact. Unlike the other top LPL teams, JDG were tested in Week 1 with a match against their rivals, Top Esports. Before this match, JDG were winless in their least six matches against TES in the regular season dating back to 2018. With their new look, JDG earned a new result, beating TES in a decisive 2-0 victory.

Heading into Week 2, JDG are undefeated in series as well as games. While Seo “Kanavi” Jin-hyeok did the heavy lifting in JDG’s opening match against ThunderTalk Gaming, it was Zeng “Yagao” Qi who looked the best in their series against TES. With a nice rebrand, and a nice rebound, JDG are looking to keep up their early success for a chance at heading back to Worlds for the second year in a row.

— Warren Younger

4. FunPlus Phoenix, LPL

Record: 2-0 (4-1)

Results this week: 2-0

Movement this week: -2

The second best team in the LPL from 2021 Spring returned with two statement wins over Ultra Prime (2-1) and Rogue Warriors (2-0). FPX’s first few victories of the summer were both entertaining and a good sign for the squad despite the relatively weak strength of schedule.

FPX came into the summer split with no major roster changes (though Jang “Nuguri” Ha-gwon has a new haircut) and are seemingly picking up right where they left off before the spring finals. Nuguri, in particular, seems to be back with a vengeance and looking to return to his world-class form.

We have yet to see the reigning LPL champs RNG make their summer split debut, but FPX can be happy with what they’ve shown. FPX are well known for their flexibility and creativity, especially in draft. Their willingness to use unique strategies (like Kled mid against UP) in their back pocket while keeping a handle on what the meta dictates may be the difference maker they need to take back the LPL title.

Anybody that watched both RNG and FPX’s playoff runs knows that there easily could have been a world in which FPX went to Iceland; the LPL is just that close at the top. Complacency will be FPX’s biggest enemy this summer if they want to take RNG’s crown.

— Ray

3. Gen.G, LCK

Gen.G saw a huge jump of 6 spots in this weeks League of Legends global power rankings — As DWG KIA shakes off the rust from MSI, Gen.G have taken their spot in our League of Legends power rankings as the top team in the LCK. | Provided by Riot Games

Record: 2-0 (4-1)

Results this week: —

Movement this week: +6

Gen.G left quite the impression on the opening weekend of the LCK 2021 summer split after pulling a 2-0 sweep against Hanwha Life Esports and beating DRX 2-1. The season has just started, but Gen.G looked to be one of the best LCK teams at executing on meta team comps last week. Could they be well on their way to replicating their regular season success from spring 2021?

Park “Ruler” Jae-hyuk has long been the star of this contentious Gen.G lineup. In the team’s first matches of the summer, he flexed his confidence on meta hyper-scaling marksmen like Kog’Maw and Jinx. It’s safe to say that Ruler is in good form. Across the first four wins of the split, he leads all other bot laners in damage per minute and overall damage share at 708 and 38.9% (stats by Oracle’s Elixir).

Aside from a great individual showing out of Ruler, Gen.G are drafting skirmishing top sides and finding tons of success. They commit to their win conditions without creating unnecessary plays and have showcased some cohesive and technically impressive teamfighting so far.

DWG KIA’s run at the 2021 Mid-Season Invitational exposed some of the reigning LCK champions’ weaknesses. No team is invincible, and if Gen.G are able to ride the momentum from this great start we’ll surely be in for an interesting summer.

— Ray

2. Edward Gaming, LPL

Record: 2-0 (4-1)

Results this week: 2-0

Movement this week: +1

The biggest question for Edward Gaming heading into the LPL summer split was whether their star players could keep performing at a world class level and if veteran shot caller Li “Flandre” Xuan-Jun could keep up after a disappointing playoff performance. The good news for EDG is that Flandre looks like he is able to carry when EDG needs him to.

EDG are undefeated early on in the summer split with match victories against Invictus Gaming and BiliBili Gaming. In two of the four game wins, Flandre was the MVP. The other two game MVPs on EDG went to first team, all-pro mid laner Lee “Scout” Ye-chan. EDG had a couple of hiccups, but thanks to Flandre coming in clutch when it mattered in game three against BLG and an epic comeback against IG in game two, EDG sits at the top of the LPL standings.

– Younger

1. Royal Never Give Up, LPL

Record: —

Results this week: —

Movement this week: —

Royal Never Give Up haven’t even had a chance to give up yet this summer split. RNG are the second of two teams remaining on our League of Legends power rankings despite not having played a single game since MSI.

The rest of the LPL has gotten a head start over the recent MSI victors, and the last time they had a break in the spring playoffs, they faltered. However, while they’re in a vulnerable position, they have an easy schedule in their first week and should be able to ramp up to their ceiling before losing any games.

Yet, there is a new, developing meta from last month, and some of the other LPL powerhouses have already shown proficiency on the two spicy champs that have finally been enabled: Gwen and Viego.

RNG still maintain their number one spot on our global League of Legends power rankings, but if they show rust, or if they are slow to adapt to the new champs, they’ll fall. This week, their quarantine is over and the real work begins. Only time will tell if they can keep their No. 1 streak alive.

— Parkes Ousley