The countdown to Worlds 2026 has begun. To start the hype for the international event, we are looking at every team in the tournament. Team Liquid has been climbing steadily this year. MSI was where they made their first significant impression. They continued to grow. They hit another peak in the LCS playoffs. They became the first team outside of 100Thieves in LTA Split 1 to stop Inspired from winning a title since 2024.
Team Liquid’s Roster
- Park “Morgan” Ru-han – Korean Top Laner
- Brandon “Josedeodo” Joel Villegas – Argentinian Jungler
- Lim “Quid” Hyeon-seung – Korean Mid Laner
- Sean “Yeon” Sung – American Bot Laner
- Jo “CoreJJ” Yong-in – Korean Support
TL overhauled their roster at the start of 2026. Yeon and CoreJJ stayed. They brought in Morgan from HANJIN BRION, Josedeodo from Isurus, and Quid from the disbanded 100Thieves. They replaced Jeong “Impact” Eon-young, Ganbat “Yuuji” Ulziidelger, and Eain “APA” Stearns.
The Meteoric Rise
TL was coming off a disastrous 2025 season. They started well, won the LTA Cross-Conference, and headed to First Stand. The international event did not go as planned. They finished last in the group stage. They were the only team that missed the playoffs. It went from bad to worse for TL. After a 4th- and 5th-6th finish in the next two splits, their year collapsed. Changes had to be made. The bot lane stayed, but they changed the top side. They brought in Morgan, who was a middle-of-the-pack LCK top laner; Josedeodo, who showed promise; and Quid, a player who announced himself at Worlds.
The process took time. They lost to LYON in the Lower Bracket, finishing 4th again. They kept working hard, and it paid off. After beating Cloud9 3-0 in the Lower Bracket Final, TL returned to the international stage. They began MSI in the Play-Ins. Few gave them a chance against T1 and Karmine Corp. T1 proved too difficult, but Karmine Corp was not. They swept them aside.
The Summer playoffs were another step up. They beat Cloud9 in the Upper Bracket Final to reach their first LCS Grand Final since Spring 2024. Everyone favored LYON in the final. But that did not faze TL. They stormed past LYON, handing Inspired a rare finals defeat. Their continued growth is exciting for Worlds.
Key Player – Jo “CoreJJ” Yong-in
The Glue
You could easily pick any of TL’s players for this spot. Josedeodo is an honorable shout. He was the Grand Finals MVP. But the roster does not function without CoreJJ. Despite his age, CoreJJ is still one of the best supports. He understands the game better than most. He is front and center for their engages. He is vital to their comms structure. CoreJJ played a crucial role in TL’s MSI success. Against the best Support, CoreJJ held strong. He did not let Keria’s antics get to him. TL lost 3-0 in both series, but he almost led them to victory. CoreJJ was second in the Total Apex Support ratings. Only Keria had a higher rating.
Team Liquid’s Expectations
The team is on the rise. Hopefully the LCS finals are not their peak. They could deal damage at Worlds. They have all the pieces peaking at the right time. The only concern for this roster is that they struggle later in Fearless. That should impact the Swiss Stage. With only best-of-one and best-of-three series, they can play their best champions. A Bracket Stage qualification is not unheard of for this roster.
Swiss Stage Beginnings
By winning the LCS, they are the first seed. They will start in Pool 1 alongside Gen.G Esports, G2 Esports, and Anyone’s Legend.
Potential Opponents
They will face a Pool 4 team in Round 1. They could play CTBC Flying Oyster, Dplus KIA, Invictus Gaming, or the Play-Ins winner. If the Play-Ins winner is Cloud9, they can not draw them.
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