LEC’s NAVI and MKOI Keep Esports World Cup Hopes Alive
The EMEA League of Legends Esports World Cup Qualifiers are entering their final stage, with the ultimate winners earning spots at the prestigious $2 million international tournament. The qualifier format allocates three total EMEA representatives—two from the online qualifiers and one additional spot awarded to the LEC Spring Split champions.
Natus Vincere (NAVI) advanced to the finals by eliminating Galions in a closely contested semifinal series that extended to a decisive third game. Galions, representing the EMEA Masters and LFL regions, had swept both SK Gaming and Shifters 2-0 earlier in the competition but ultimately couldn’t overcome NAVI.
The final four teams competing for qualification are G2 Esports, Karmine Corp, Movistar KOI, and Natus Vincere. G2 and Karmine Corp hold a significant advantage as upper bracket finalists, granting them two opportunities to secure their Esports World Cup spots. A compelling narrative emerged when these two organizations advanced to the finals—G2 and Karmine Corp recently clashed in the LEC Versus Final earlier this year, where G2 emerged victorious in an intense best-of-five series. They now face off again with World Cup qualification stakes, promising another high-pressure matchup between two of the region’s premier organizations. The qualifier finals conclude this weekend, determining EMEA’s representatives for the international tournament.