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 Secret Whales appears at their fourth consecutive international event. In their previous appearance, they shocked everyone by beating Top Esports 3-1. They have what it takes to beat the best teams. CTBC Flying Oyster made the playoffs last year; can TSW reach those same heights?
Team Secret Whales Roster
- Nguyễn “Pun” Đăng Khoa – Vietnamese Top Laner
- Lê “Hizto” Văn Hoàng Hải – Vietnamese Jungler
- Trần “Dire” Duy Đức – Vietnamese Mid Laner
- Hoàng “Eddie” Công Nghĩa – Vietnamese Bot Laner
- Trần “Bie” Đức Hiếu – Vietnamese Support
TSW’s roster is almost identical to their Worlds appearance last year. The only difference is that Trần “Hiro02” Lê Trung Hậu is not on the roster. The five members have been on their dominant domestic runs.
Converting Domestic to International Success
No team has had a more dominant year than TSW. They lost two LCP series. The first came in Split 1 against Deep Cross Gaming. Their second was in a Seeding Decider in Split 3. CTBC Flying Oyster beat them 3-2. The playoffs were a different story. TSW faced CFO twice in the playoffs. They defeated them 3-0 in both matches.
Their two losses were nearly as dominant as CFO’s 2025 run. That roster only lost to TSW once. But is this roster as good as CFO 2025? Probably not. Many LCP teams got weaker this year. CFO lost JunJia, HongQ, and KaiWing. Levi and Karsa retired, and PSG Talon disbanded. There was a power vacuum in the LCP. TSW stepped up to take the spot. We must commend them for their dominance.
However, the international stage is different from domestic play. They defeated Top Esports at MSI. It was their first time beating an LPL team. We have to take that result with a pinch of salt. Top Esports always disappoints at international events. Defeating them is still a significant feat.
Key Player – Lê “Hizto” Văn Hoàng Hải
Mechanical Prowess
Few players can match Hizto’s mechanical skill in the LCP. Since his debut last year, Hizto has put the league on notice. He thrives on skill-expressive junglers like Qiyana and Lee Sin. With both viable in the meta, he is a lethal threat for teams to deal with. He is part of the strongest Mid-Jungle pairing in the LCP. He and Dire have dominated the region.
However, Dire has struggled internationally. Dire’s weakness is his laning phase. International mid laners have exposed him. Hizto cannot play through Dire in the early game. Instead, he diverts his attention to Pun. The top laner has crazy counter picks. His Volibear and Sett threatened both Hanwha Life Esports and Top Esports. Even Zeus struggles in lane against Pun’s Volibear. Hizto will rely on Pun as TSW’s win condition.
Team Secret Whales Expectations
The roster is no pushover. No team should go into the series with that mindset. Their aggressive playstyle and Pun’s counterpicks are deadly. They hinge most of their victories on building leads early. Domestically, they could reach gold leads upwards of 5k before 15 minutes. It is possible to do internationally. However, teams will not give them much room. Dire’s laning weaknesses may bite them again. They could make the Bracket Stage, but a 2-3 Swiss Stage is more realistic.
Swiss Stage Beginnings
Despite being a first seed, TSW will start the Swiss Stage in Pool 2. They will face a Pool 3 team in Round 1.
Potential Opponents
They can draw T1, LYON, Movistar KOI, or Top Esports in their first matchup.
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