Dark Horses Predictions for the Worlds 2026

The LoL Worlds is always an exciting tournament. It’s an exciting and competitive esports championship tournament, where some great League of Legends esports teams battle it out to see who is the World Champion. While the attention is normally on the championship favorites, the format of the Worlds tournament offers opportunities for unexpected contenders to make deep runs in the tournament.

This guide will focus on the dark horses of the tournament. Those teams that are overlooked by the general public and by the experts, but who may have a genuine chance of being an underdog to win the entire tournament. We will cover what the prediction markets, like Kalshi and Polymarket say, and take a look at which dark horses could genuinely pull off the upset of the year.

Top Prediction Markets for LoL Worlds 2026

What Makes a Team a Dark Horse at Worlds 2026?

So before we proceed, what exactly is a dark horse? A dark horse is a team that is not widely considered to be among the leading favorites to win a competition, but that possess enough quality to outperform expectations.

There are three characteristics that you should consider, that all the best prediction markets have taken into account, when it comes to determining what a dark horse is. Pre-tournament expectations, a credible competitive record and a realistic path to an upset.

• Pre tournament expectations are  normally that the team is written off from winning the tournament, but are considered to be a solid team that could have a solid run
• If the team has a credible competitive record, with majority wins and some decent upsets, they could be considered a darrk horse, despite not winning any major championships or leagues
• If they have a realistic path to an upset, where they most are seeded against lower teams early in the Swiss stages, or the brackets pair them with teams of similar ability early, to build their momentum and form early as they progress deeper into the tournament

Any team from any region could be a dark horse. They could be from a minor region, such as the EU, or Latin America, or they could simply be a sold team from the LCK in Korea or the LPL in China. A dark horse is determined by lower market expectations despite being a solid team.

Will a dark horse win the 2026 LoL Worlds?

What Do Prediction Markets Say About Worlds 2026 Dark Horses?

We have spoken about this in length in our Polymarket review, and also in our Kalshi one, that these esports prediction markets provide options for every facet of Worlds 2026. Who the outright winner will be, who will crack the finals, who the MVP will be, if a team is likely to score an upset, and more. All of these markets are determined by trader sentiment, recent performance, and statistical modeling to provide up-to-date market probabilities.

Polymarket Dark Horse Odds

On Polymarket, decentralized volume indicates which lower-ranked roster has the highest potential to shock the tournament. While their raw percentage chance to win the entire event remains low, these four teams lead the underdog pack:

Kalshi Dark Horse Outlook

Kalshi traders show a similar ranking, though subtle pricing shifts highlight slight differences in how regulated traders evaluate roster ceilings and tournament paths:

Across both platforms, probabilities remain closely aligned. A low market probability does not signify a weak team; rather, it reflects lower baseline expectations compared to the tournament favorites. As the Swiss stage unfolds, match-up dynamics and momentum shifts could quickly prove these initial market predictions wrong.

Four Potential Dark Horses for Worlds 2026

So, what about these four lower ranked teams, that do not have the resume of multiple Worlds championships or regional championships like other teams do, could make them believable dark horses? What do these teams offer that could make them championship contenders? Let’s talk about it.

Anyone’s Legend

Anyone’s Legend have become known as the Cinderella team in the LoL World, as they have previously went from having very little expectations, to picking up a major international title when nobody expected it. In the Chinese league, the LPL, Anyone’s Legend defeated Chinese favorite and dominant team Bilibili Gaming to win the LPL league.

Nobody expected the game to be as competitive as it was, and they would win the championship in spectacular fashion. Their performances over the last year, and the ability to perform under pressure makes them a believable dark horse to back in this years Worlds.

Anyone’s Legend

G2 Esports

G2 Esports is currently the king of a minor region, being seeded #1 in the EU and having picked up the EMEA Championship this year, they are undoubtedly the top team in their region. However, the reason they are considered a dark horse by video game prediction markets goes beyond regional dominance: it’s international experience. They have made it far in the Worlds before, making it all the way to the finals in 2019, and have scored upsets over notable Korean and Chinese teams before. If any of the major championship contenders overlook G2 Esports, it could be their downfall.

G2 Esports

DPlus KIA

DPlus KIA are a relatively fresh team that fans once had high hopes for, but they never really lived up to the expectations. That was until this year, where they actually won the Esports World Cup 2026 by defeating Karmine Corp, in dominant fashion, to pick up the trophy.

This win showed a glimmer of what Dplus KIA could be capable of, if they really focus and meet their true potential. In the past, they have not shown any semblance of the form they are on now, so if there’s any time for Dplus KIA to go on an underdog run through the Worlds, it is this year.

DPlus KIA

Invictus Gaming

Invictus Gaming are considered to be another lower tier Chinese contender, having failed to find major success in either the LPL, or in the World, in any capacity. But, fans often forget they are competing in one of the toughest leagues in competitive LoL esports, and they seem to be getting better and better with every passing season.

While they are not a spectacular team, and there are certainly holes in their game, they could be the team to take advantage of competitors taking them lightly, and upset a lot of champions.

Invictus Gaming

Which Dark Horse Has the Best Chance of a Deep Run?

We’ve named four solid teams, all of which have plenty of strengths, and some weaknesses that have prevented them from reaching the heights of their competitors. But, which of these teams are most likely to actually have a great run in the Worlds this year?

• In our opinion, we believe Anyone’s Legend has the best chance of making it to the knockout stages, and potentially semifinals, depending on how the brackets are looking. Their ability to perform under pressure throughout the LPL this year was outstanding, and it was one of the greatest tactical performances ever when they dismantled and defeated a championship team like Bilibili Gaming to win the LPL.
• Ultimately, if they continue to approach the Worlds with that strategy, we could see them getting through the Swiss stage with a 3-1 record, and a 3-2 record at the absolute worst if the brackets are not kind to them.
• But, once they reach the knockout stages, the brackets would have to line up well for them. But, compared to the other three, we believe Anyone’s Legend is the most qualified to deal with stronger teams early if the brackets are not kind. Our Kalshi review explains in detail why every percentage matters, but there is a reason why they have determined the probability for Anyone’s Legend is higher than the other dark horses.
• Considering knockout stages are contested under best of five rules, we think there are plenty of opportunities for Anyone’s Legend to bounce back and adapt to a stronger team, like Hanwha Life Esports or T1, or even Bilibili Gaming again.
• While DPlus Kia are also more than capable of making it to the knockout stages, they have yet to perform under extraordinary pressure the way Anyone’s Legend did in the LPL. Their win in the Esports World Cup was strong, do not get us wrong. But, they defeated Karmine Corp, a strong EU team. A strong EU team is far, far different than a strong Chinese team, and certainly a strong Korean team. Those teams will be next level, and we cannot see DPlus KIA suddenly developing a winning strategy against the likes of Gen.G.

Anyone’s Legend, though, would certainly struggle with Gen.G. But, if any underdog team could do it, we would back Anyone’s Legend.

LoL Worlds 2026: Top Esports Prediction Markets

Never Count Out the Underdog

The four teams we have mentioned and highlighted do not have the most championships collected among them, but they do have a solid win record, an ability to perform when it matters and a reasonable path through to the Championship. Teams like Dplus KIA and Anyone’s Legend in particular are the most credible underdogs that could actually win the Worlds.

The probabilities, according to the prediction markets like Kalshi and Polymarket, for these teams to win are low. But, it’s important to remember that these markets reflect expectations, not guaranteed outcomes. The Worlds often brings out the best in teams like these, and reveal their true potential. Continue to follow along here on Strafe as we update you on news about the Worlds, and follow these dark horses and their performances throughout the tournament.