Which Region is the best when it comes to League of Legends

League of Legends is among the largest and most popular esports on the planet, featuring several top professional teams and players globally competing at the highest levels. Even though the game was largely created in the United States by Riot Games, the competitive League of Legends landscape is split into many local ecosystems and leagues.

This regional League structure enables Riot to hold local competitions to figure out which teams from around the World qualify to play on the global stage at major international events such as the Mid Season Invitational (MSI) and also the League of Legends World Championship every year. This structure of regional leagues feeding into international tournaments, allows each region to showcase its best rather than one or two dominant regions.

The Dominant Regions: China, Korea and Europe

In terms of examining the relative strength of the different League of Legends regions – a regular top three has emerged during the past years – China (LPL) Korea (LCK) and Europe (LEC). These “big three” regions always produce the top teams and players that play at the highest international competition levels.

China could be considered the current number one region, with reigning World Champions FunPlus Phoenix holding the top spot in global rankings. Powerhouse teams in the top ten include Invictus Gaming and Royal Never Give Up in the LPL. But the LCK’s SK Telecom T1 really is the best team in the world with an incredible 73% win rate and almost 5 times the FPX total winnings.

Europe’s G2 Esports has risen to the top of the LEC and a contender for # 2 in the world behind either FPX or SKT. Other European powerhouses such as Fnatic, G2, and BIG give the region multiple teams in the world’s top 10.

While the LPL, LCK, and LEC battle it out at the top, the other big regions find it difficult to close the gap.

North America and the Rest of the Pack

North America’s LCS has generally been considered the 4th strongest region, but the gap between NA and the top 3 seems to widen. Only Team Liquid ranks in the top 10 globally at #10. 

The LCS Summer Split has seen Counter Logic Gaming, Evil Geniuses, and Team Liquid tied for the top spot early on at 4-1. CLG in particular is looking to recapture its former glory, while EG is aiming to build on its first international LAN appearance. But North American teams have historically struggled to translate domestic success to the world stage.

The final two league regions – Southeast Asia (PCS) and Brazil (CBLOL) – are clearly a step behind the others in current strength. Southeast Asia’s #1 team J Team sits at just #13 globally, while Brazil’s top squad KaBuM! E-Sports is way down at #18. 

For these emerging regions it’s been challenging to create teams that can consistently be competitive with the big 3– China, Korea, and Europe.

Who Will Reign Supreme?

When it comes to determining the strongest region in League of Legends, the evidence points to a clear top three–China (LPL), South Korea (LCK), and Europe (LEC). These three regions consistently produce the best teams and players that compete at the highest levels internationally. 

China’s LPL could currently be considered the top dog, having won recent major tournaments. However, Korea’s LCK has historically been a powerhouse and will surely contend to reclaim that mantle of the world’s best region.

Europe’s LEC has emerged as a force as well, capable of challenging the LPL and LCK juggernauts. While North America’s LCS, Southeast Asia, and the international wildcard regions lag behind the big three, the competitive landscape is always evolving.

Ultimately, the battle for regional supremacy in League of Legends seems destined to continue being waged between the Chinese, Korean, and European juggernauts for the foreseeable future. The never-ending quest to be crowned the strongest will rage on.