League of Legends Esports has been around for 14 years. During recent years, it has been mostly dominated by eastern regions. However, as much as this could be a surprise to most of its viewers, South Korea and China aren’t the only teams competing in the tournaments.
Despite being a staple bit in the LoL Esports, one has to wonder about North America’s absence on the world stage. How were they performing during their early years and recent years? Who are the possible contenders to carry this region behind their backs? Would the day come when it is this region holding the world trophy after years of letdown?
The Lackluster Golden Age
During LoL Esports early years, North America generally used to be a threat in the tournaments. The 2011 top 5 consists of 3 teams from this region, and the 3rd best team in the “world” was Team Solo Mid (TSM). However, as League of Legends became bigger, so did its esports, and the number of teams joining to compete in the tournaments.
NA was a strong contender in the tournaments, up until South Korea and China joined the mix the next season. It would seem that they can’t perform as well globally as they do domestically. Their best team at the time, TSM, fell into the 5th spot. It is even worse that this region managed to win only a single victory during the 12-team competition.
The consequent years became improvements as TSM’s new mid-laner, Bjergsen, stands to be a strong competitor. This team and other NA teams were consistent in reaching at least the 5th spot. As of 2014, their record may not be grand, but these small wins are worth celebrating at the time.
Unfortunately, in 2015, their downfall started to “snowball” the entire region’s career. Their teams had a great starter week, but not a single NA team was able to reach the bracket stage. Accordingly, Doublelift from Counter Logic Gaming (CLG) joined TSM in 2016, but it only cemented his team into the ground with Doublelift’s poor macro and decision-making.
In 2018, another NA team, Cloud9, surprised everyone by somehow reaching the semifinals. However, things got sour again in 2019, when 12th place was Team Liquid’s farthest reach as NA’s #1 team at that time. From there, NA teams can only hold up to 10th place until 2021 by 100 Thieves. Finally, in 2023, NRG placed 5th, the highest NA placement since the 2018 semifinals.
Potential Leaders of NA’s Resurgence
North America’s pro record isn't smooth, though they still have players who can match the champions’ skills and hunger for a world title. Given the right setup, coaching, and roster of teammates, these players can potentially snatch the trophy away from the top South Korean and Chinese players. As these new players emerge on stage, the day of the crownless to be kings could be soon enough.
100 Thieves' General Sniper came out of nowhere with impressive top lane skills even at a young age. At 14 years old, he is the youngest to reach Challenger Rank 1. He dominates the top lane with fighter carry champions such as Camille and Riven. Of course, rank solo queue is different, but his collective experience of the climb could be beneficial for NA pro stages.
FlyQuest is one of the current leading teams of NA in Worlds. Most notably among this roster are Busio and Inspired. Together, their roaming and picking capabilities proved to be a possible ace for not only their team but the entire region. People are just acknowledging this team’s strength, and given time, they might be a consistent contender for higher positions in the tournament.
Jojopyun might be currently in a European team, but the fact still stands that he hailed from NA. He was the first North American player to achieve an MVP in the LoL European Championship (LEC) tournament against G2, a former world champion. His origin proves that talents can also come from the worst region after all. As NA secures talents such as him, they might as well finally secure a championship.
Can NA Realistically Compete?
As North America League of Legends's history is full of ups and downs, their chances of emerging on top are rough as well. Stating they don’t have a chance is inconclusive because, despite their recent runs, they still show real potential. They can compete domestically and against European teams, but they have to step up against South Korea and China as well.
Despite having no world championship so far, NA is certainly not weak; it's just that with T1’s 6th championship and their 3rd consecutive trophy, the difference is evident. The 2025 finals were contested by both South Korean teams, including T1. Their challenger, KT Rolster, is known to be the underdog of the South Korean region. Despite that, there was still hope for them to finally end T1’s reign, and it was actually pretty close.
Similarly, there is this sensation to support NA while being the world's underdogs themselves. Their victories might be slim, but it's always satisfying to see the lowest get to the top. Fortunately, the 2026 World Championship will be held in the United States. It might be small, but a little push from the home ground could finally make them achieve the unexpected.
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