T1 Esports Academy enters the 2026 LCK Challengers League grand final as the clear frontrunner after topping the regular season Challenge Group and posting dominant playoff results, including 3-1 series wins over KT Rolster Challengers and Dplus KIA Challengers. The academy squad holds a commanding 6-1 head-to-head edge across the season and benefits from consistent roster depth and strong regular-season form that translated into upper-bracket positioning. KT Rolster Challengers advanced through the lower bracket with recent momentum but have struggled to close the gap against T1 EA in prior meetings. While an upset remains possible through standout individual performances, map-specific adaptations, or execution variance on grand-final day, the implied probability reflects T1’s structural and historical advantages heading into the decisive best-of-five.