If there may be any group you have to be rooting for proper now in League of Legends esports, it ought to be Staff WE. This mid-pack group pulled off not one, however two of the best upsets of the season and are actually one collection away from qualifying for the Mid-Season Invitational.
Whereas everybody loves an underdog story, Staff WE’s success feels completely different. As soon as thought of one of many faces of Chinese language esports, the group is way from its superb days. May this be the beginning of a brand new chapter? And are they one of the harmful groups to face on the earth, proper now?
A Robust Begin to the 2026 Season
Firstly of the season, Staff WE had shaped a roster that didn’t actually stand out from the pack. It stored its prime facet trio of Dai “Dice” Yi, Wang “Monki” Meng-Qi, and Kim “Karis” Hong-jo and introduced in a brand new bot lane with Korean ADC Moon “About” Hyeong-seok and Chen “yaoyao” Si-Yuan, following the departure of Kim “Taeyoon” Tae-yoon and Zhao “Vampire” Zhe-can.
The primary break up of the 2026 season glided by with out many surprises, with Staff WE continuously within the mid-pack. Their top-eight end, nevertheless, allowed them to be positioned with the massive boys in Group Ascend for the second break up.
Whereas enjoying with sturdy groups can assist weaker groups enhance, Staff WE struggled to seek out its footing within the LPL Break up 2 common season, profitable just one of 14 matches.
Despite the fact that the addition of assist Shi “Erha” Xu-Ye didn’t yield a lot in outcomes initially, Staff WE was slowly bettering and constructing all the required parts little by little, simply in time for when it mattered essentially the most.
That is confirmed by the group’s sport report: after shedding the primary 8 collection with 0-2 data, Staff WE started profitable video games and taking maps from most groups, together with JD Gaming.
Regardless of just a few wins, the group nonetheless completed final in Group Ascend, forcing them to play LNG Esports within the play-ins stage.
The Play-Ins Survival Sequence and the Upsets in Playoffs
Staff WE’s rise in type got here precisely throughout this collection. After being pushed to 5 video games, Staff WE got here again from a 5,000-gold deficit by way of their teamfighting and stored their playoff hopes alive. The problem was that BLG picked WE of their first spherical: the perfect group within the league was going through the underside group of Group Ascend.
In opposition to all odds, Staff WE took BLG down with a 3-1 report. The collection wasn’t clear, however the victory wasn’t simply all the way down to pure luck or BLG having a foul day: Staff WE fought again from shedding positions and outplayed what was thought of the perfect group on the earth by way of stronger coordination and cohesion.
Staff WE proved to everybody that the victory was not a fluke, continuing to dismantle the #4 seed Anybody’s Legend with one other clear 3-0.
What Makes Staff WE So Robust?
The scariest a part of Staff WE proper now could be their cohesion as a five-man unit. They’ve confirmed to be extra coordinated than another group within the league, with all 5 gamers making the identical choice.
And on the coronary heart of that cohesive decision-making is jungler Monki.
The man has established himself as the primary voice and shotcaller of the squad whereas additionally matching the perfect junglers when it comes to particular person efficiency. When Monki requires a play, everybody on the group will observe his directives, even when they may not be excellent.
Dplus Kia head coach Kim “cvMax” Dae-ho had explained this concept up to now: “If all 5 members come all the way down to make the identical choice in any given circumstance, they will flip a mistaken reply proper.”
By eradicating the necessity to query whether or not a play is appropriate within the second, Staff WE can all the time be the primary to maneuver, placing strain on opponents to battle again. That is what occurred within the collection in opposition to each BiliBili Gaming (BLG) and Anybody’s Legend (AL). Particularly, BLG was usually caught off guard in teamfight eventualities regardless of having the gold lead.
High laner Dice himself shared in an interview that he’s now extra susceptible to listening to Monki’s performs: “I simply do no matter he tells me to do.”
In keeping with Chinese language esports analyst Lan Bao Shi (蓝宝石), Monki additionally has one other sturdy tendency in his gameplay that has labored out within the current victories: his willingness to alter tempo. In a meta the place most junglers are likely to full clear earlier than making performs, Monki usually tries to disrupt the orthodox jungle clears by way of surprising gank timers and pathings.
Whereas it’s a high-risk technique that may trigger him to fall behind in gold and expertise, Monki gained out on lots of these performs and constructed substantial leads for his group.
That doesn’t imply WE is flawless. The group nonetheless has some clear weaknesses; it’s simply that the meta helps conceal a few of them.
For instance, prime laner Dice has been thriving in current weeks now that the meta has shifted in the direction of a extra weakside surroundings. Firstly of the break up, when it was nonetheless about lane dominance, he struggled to maintain up with the perfect prime laners.
Now, he’s capable of take up that strain and persistently present up within the fights with sufficient sources.
Bot laner About additionally had preliminary struggles in adapting earlier this season. It’s not a coincidence that Staff WE’s rise additionally aligned with About’s improved efficiency. All esports groups must depend on their ADC within the late-game teamfights, so the Korean marksman should preserve his type transferring ahead.
Moreover, Monki may be focused by different groups transferring ahead, realizing how very important his pathings are for the squad.
And Staff WE Can Really Make it to MSI
May Staff WE make it to the Mid-Season Invitational? To place it merely, the probabilities are actual. Not solely did Staff WE show they will take down the highest groups, however their gameplay is stable as effectively.
The higher bracket closing collection in opposition to High Esports is not going to solely be essential for figuring out which LPL group would be the first locked for MSI, however will even make clear whether or not Staff WE might be exploited for its weaknesses.
If High Esports (TES) manages to win, it would develop into golden materials for Staff WE’s future opponents to evaluate and research. If they will’t, then this Staff WE roster could be a horrifying opponent for MSI.
No matter the way it goes, Monki and his teammates may have the momentum on their facet. Caedrel mentioned it greatest: “This group simply looks like they’re on a run. They’ve bought one thing behind them. They’ve bought momentum. They’ve bought perception. All of the gamers are purchased into this concept, this fashion they’ve adopted… It’s like lightning in a bottle.”
The query is: Will Staff WE proceed to evolve, or will the opposite LPL groups catch up first? The reply will straight dictate whether or not they will be a prime canine for the remainder of the season.
