LEC Playoffs Predictions: Who Makes It to MSI?

LEC Playoffs Predictions: Who Makes It to MSI?

22 May, 2026, 16:39

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Last updated: 22 May, 2026, 16:40

The 2026 LEC Spring Playoffs are about to kick off, and only two teams will get to secure their spots at MSI in South Korea. Starting Saturday, May 23, the LEC Spring Playoffs will see the top teams in Europe compete across three weeks of high-stakes action, where every match will be a Best-of-5.

Six teams enter the Playoffs, but only two will get to represent the LEC at MSI 2026. Let's go ahead and take a look at our predictions.

2026 LEC Spring Playoffs Bracket

LEC Spring Playoffs: Who Makes It to MSI 2026?

An Old Favorite

Let's start with the obvious. Despite finishing in third place in the Regular Season, G2 Esports looks hands down like the best team in the LEC right now. Not only did G2 drop the lowest number of games out of any team in the Regular Season, but they also arrive at the Playoffs hot off five consecutive game wins over Karmine Corp and NAVI over in the EWC Qualifier

G2 SkewMond at the LEC Spring 2026

What's more, it's hard to trust any LEC team on the international stage more than G2, especially after sweeping Gen.G to reach the Grand Finals of First Stand earlier this year. G2 are known to turn up the heat when it matters most, and the 2026 LEC Spring Playoffs should prove no different.

Time to Show Up

Our next pick to reach MSI is none other than Karmine Corp. Unfortunately for us, KC and G2 are scheduled to meet in the first round of the Playoffs, which means that one of our two picks will fall to the Lower Bracket right off the bat.

Despite showing some inconsistency lately, this Karmine Corp squad is arguably second to none in the LEC when it comes to pound-for-pound individual skill. If the team manages to sharpen up their macro (perhaps take a couple lessons from G2) and clean up their early games, they should prove to be a threat even on the international stage. 

Karmine Corp Caliste walking on stage at the LEC Spring 2026

Can KC maximize Canna's strengths? Will Yike and Caliste find a way to perform at their very best consistently enough to make it all the way? These are the questions Karmine Corp will need to find answers to heading into the Playoffs.

The Contenders

While G2 and KC may be our picks to make it to MSI, there are two other teams that are worth a mention: Team Vitality and Movistar KOI.

Team Vitality came largely out of nowhere and simply dominated the LEC Spring Regular Season. For all of their great work over the past couple of months, though, it's hard to tell just how far this team can make it in the Playoffs when other, more experienced teams stand before them.

Naak Nako and Team Vitality after a victory at the LEC Spring 2026 Regular Season

As for MKOI, their story is quite the opposite. This is a squad that has shown time and again that they belong at the top of the league. And yet, the truth is that their current level of play does not always pass the eye test.

A victory over G2 on the very last day of the Regular Season should give Spanish fans some hope, but the truth remains that MKOI need to find another gear if they want to contest for a spot at MSI.

Don't Miss the Playoffs!

The race is on, and you won't want to miss it. Catch the 2026 LEC Spring Playoffs on the official Twitch or YouTube channels for the event starting Saturday, May 23! 

Follow Strafe Esports for the latest League of Legends news, and our X account for the latest content and coverage. Also, stay tuned to Strafe's channel on YouTube for exclusive interviews, press conferences, and more.

Featured Image Credit: Hara Amorós/Riot Games


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