**LCK and LPL squads maintain overwhelming structural advantages heading into the October 15 start of Worlds 2026.** Korea fields four direct Swiss-stage entrants led by Gen.G, Hanwha Life Esports, T1, and Dplus KIA after strong domestic results and an MSI title for HLE, while China’s quartet of Anyone’s Legend, Bilibili Gaming, Top Esports, and Invictus Gaming benefits from deep talent pools and recent international showings. Western representatives—primarily G2 Esports, Team Liquid, and play-in sides—rank lower in global Elo metrics and have recorded only sporadic series wins against top Eastern opposition this season. Historical patterns reinforce the gap, with LCK claiming the last four Summoner’s Cups and no Western team reaching the finals since 2019. Although G2 posted a winning record against LCK squads in select events and no single Eastern side appears unbeatable, the depth disparity and consistent East-West performance differential sustain trader consensus around a sub-6% implied probability for a Western champion.