Two all-Chinese teams advance together to the World Championship.

The LOL World Championship is approaching. Even though the LPL playoffs haven't started, three teams from other regions have confirmed their qualification: GEN from the LCK, along with CFO and PSG from the LCP. GEN's MSI victory means they just need to make the playoffs to secure their spot. As for CFO and PSG, due to the small number of teams in their region, after completing four BO5 matches, these two teams have already earned their World Championship qualifications.

Both CFO and PSG are all-Chinese rosters, but PSG’s season has been more dramatic. At the start of the season, after signing mid laner FOFO, jungler Karsa, and AD carry Betty, many LPL fans believed PSG would dominate the league. However, following the Rift Rivals and MSI tournaments, many realized PSG’s roster was not as strong on paper. Moreover, at the beginning of the third stage, PSG suffered an unprecedented eight-game losing streak without a single win, causing many fans to doubt their chances of making Worlds.

When PSG was on the brink of elimination after another loss in the regular season, the PSG manager showed great decisiveness by sidelining mid laner FOFO and personally inviting PSG legend mid laner Maple back for a trial. After replacing their mid laner, PSG seemed reborn, winning eight consecutive games across the regular season and playoffs, securing their World Championship spot. PSG’s comeback from the edge surprised many LPL fans, with many admitting PSG made history, as no one expected them to go from an eight-game losing streak to a winning streak that qualified them for Worlds.

Karsa’s tears after the match moved fans to tears.

Since being benched by coach DanShen in 2023, many LPL fans thought Karsa was past his prime. Indeed, Karsa’s recent form has been inconsistent. After leaving the LPL, his dominance in the LCP has waned compared to younger players. Discussions about Karsa often revolve around his tears after losses. Now, the LPL legendary jungler Karsa returns to the World Championship stage after four years, and his emotional tears post-match have delighted many fans who hope he can win the championship to prove himself.

The “boosting” controversy in the veteran cup sparks discussion.

Fans who follow Maple closely know he is nicknamed “Hong Hu” (Hong Kong Tiger) in the LCP region because, like Xiao Hu, he often delivers dominant performances in the league but tends to underperform at Worlds. This means Maple can easily help his team secure a spot at Worlds. Currently, Maple and Xiao Hu have each attended Worlds eight times, second only to Faker. Many fans joke that Maple’s individual skill is excessively “overpowered” in the LCP region.

If Maple were only strong in gameplay, he wouldn’t attract so much attention, but his experience this season has been extraordinary. Early in the year, Maple announced a “semi-retirement” and started making videos about traveling around the world. Thenafter taking enough rest, Maple returned to compete in the LPL veteran cup, revealing he hadn’t played LOL for six months due to his travels. Despite this relaxed state, Maple’s skill did not decline much, and in the second half of the year, he seamlessly replaced FOFO, helping PSG secure a World Championship spot.

Conclusion

PSG swapped one mid laner and went from near elimination to qualifying for Worlds. I can only say that FOFO might have a tough time finding a team next year. Of course, FOFO could join the veteran cup to improve his mindset and mechanics, possibly earning a chance to return to Worlds. I’m personally curious,since Maple made it to Worlds, will LPL’s Xiao Hu also qualify this year?.