It’s the first international League of Legends event of the year and these teams are looking for a headstart.
Five First Stand teams arrive in Seoul, South Korea, but only one will stand triumphant and call themselves the inaugural First Stand champions. Each team is a champion of their respective region however, some teams are entering this tournament with something to prove.
These are the three First Stand teams we think everyone should be watching out for.
Team Liquid
As the champions of the newly established LTA Cross-Conference, Team Liquid are carrying the weight of the entire Americas on their back.
Of course, this is nothing new for the fabled organization but they’re looking to make a real splash this year. To do that, they’re aiming to win First Stand to show that the Americas is still a global contender.
Team Liquid are also the only First Stand team who have kept their previous year’s roster intact. While other teams made moves to make upgrades to the team, Team Liquid believes that their lineup already has championship-winning potential. Perhaps their year of playing and practicing together will pay off this tournament.
Hanwha Life Esports
The new kings of Korea proved that it wasn’t just a fluke as they’re once again LCK champions. But now they have to prove the international choker allegations wrong in this tournament. Their 2024 Worlds run was lackluster, to say the least, so they have to pull out all the stops if they want people to see them as a real international threat.
Joining Hanwha this season is two-time world champion Choi “Zeus” Woo-je. The former star Top Laner of T1 has proven that he can shine bright in a different environment and team. Will his prowess be enough to secure Hanwha the First Stand trophy? We’ll have to wait and see.
Karmine Corp
Last but not least is the newest addition to the international stage among the First Stand teams. Karmine Corp has always been notorious in Europe due to the extremely loud and passionate French fans that follow them around but they’ve shown that their bark is just as strong as their bite.
Defeating the LEC behemoths that is G2 Esports is no mean feat, especially since it was they who snapped their six-season winning streak. And when you consider it’s a 3-0 sweep at the grand finals, we have a real competitor in our hands. They may be new to the international stage but they definitely shouldn’t be underestimated.
Banner photo by Christina Oh / Riot Games.