TES Toplaner ZUIAN Set to Miss LoL Worlds 2026 With Visa Issues
TES toplaner Cheng ‘ZUIAN’ Zi-Hao will miss the League of Legends World Championship for the first time in his career after his visa interview was rejected twice. The LPL All-Pro first-team player’s inability to travel to the United States—where Riot Games is hosting Worlds 2026—highlights growing concerns about visa complications for international esports players in the current political climate.
The visa rejections have raised questions about border control policies, particularly following the announcement that Worlds would be held in the U.S. There were pre-existing concerns that stricter immigration policies could affect international participation. Riot Games’ global head of LoL esports, Chris Greeley, had previously reassured the community during First Stand earlier this year that Riot would work directly with teams to mitigate visa-related issues and prevent players from missing the championship.
Despite these assurances, ZUIAN now becomes a casualty of these complications. Top Esports’ official announcement confirmed that veteran toplaner Bai ‘369’ Jia-Hao will replace ZUIAN at Worlds. The substitution addresses the immediate roster concern, though it represents a significant disruption to TES’s World Championship preparation and lineup stability.
This situation underscores the practical challenges international esports organizations face when hosting major events in countries with stringent visa policies. While Riot Games stated its commitment to resolving such issues, ZUIAN’s case demonstrates that bureaucratic obstacles can ultimately override organizational efforts. The incident serves as a cautionary example for future international esports tournaments regarding the importance of addressing visa accessibility early in event planning.