With February here, the first stage playoffs across LOL regions are underway. The LCP’s CFO team fell to GZ in the opening round, ending their run in the top six and missing the global Pioneers event. Even with star players Doggo and Sha Dou, CFO failed to overcome mid-tier teams. Clearly, HongQ and JunJia leaving has greatly affected CFO, who now can’t secure a top-four spot in the league.

Former LPL world champion coach Zhan Ma’s TSW team has performed impressively this year, topping the regular season standings at 6-1. In the playoffs, they defeated SHG 3-1. With one more BO5 win, TSW will secure at least second place and qualify for the Pioneers tournament. This year’s LCP region has seen major changes — GAM and CFO were eliminated in the first round, and Sofm’s MVKE didn’t even make the playoffs.

LEC playoffs officially start on the 16th. G2 had another classic “sugar-coated” regular season, winning only 6 out of 11 matches, barely crawling into the playoffs. G2’s first-round opponent is HRT, and it looks like the veteran star is ready to ignite and push into the Pioneers tournament. As the LEC playoffs approach, Brazilian media recently revealed news about the 3rd Hall of Fame.

Media report:In 2026, the player inducted into the Hall of Fame is current G2 mid-laner CAPS.The veteran star’s Hall of Fame skins include two champions: Sylas and Yasuo. Yasuo is part of a signature bundle, while Sylas is included in the battle pass. The skin colors have been revealed; both heroes feature a purple base color. Sylas sports a pair of cat ears, and the artwork looks quite good, as purple is the most elegant shade.

Previously, when discussions about the third inductee were underway, TheShy and CAPS had the highest popularity. In August last year, Riot’s esports head said the third Hall of Fame would not favor Europe, North America, or any region; the judges would only consider players’ performances. After this announcement, many believed TheShy had the highest chance due to his popularity and potential skin sales.

However, the January Hall of Fame teaser from Riot hinted that the third inductee was someone who significantly changed the course of League of Legends esports. CAPS has a huge influence in the EU and NA regions. Besides FNC’s S1 championship, Europe’s international wins in the past decade mostly belong to G2, who took the Mid-Season Invitational title and reached Worlds finals. CAPS’s impact on the region is undeniable.

If CAPS is inducted, then among the four major regions, only North America will remain without a Hall of Fame member. Although Riot claims they don’t select by region, the results suggest one inductee per region first. Next year will be LCS’s turn, and it’s unclear whether Bjergsen or Doublelift will be chosen. TheShy might be inducted the year after next; otherwise, delaying too long could hurt skin sales.

This year’s Hall of Fame event is slightly delayed compared to previous years. Riot said it will return before Worlds, so the skins will likely launch around September. The Brazilian source is quite reliable; they also broke the news about Uzi’s induction last year. So even without Riot’s official announcement, CAPS’s induction is almost certain. Congratulations in advance to the veteran star on joining the Hall of Fame.

Conclusion:

Selecting Hall of Fame players by region is definitely the fairest approach. Old Lee, Uzi, and the veteran star are the biggest influences in their respective regions. Choosing one player per region first, then prioritizing popular players in the second round, allows Riot to maintain fairness while maximizing revenue — a win-win strategy.

So, who do you think will represent North America: Bjergsen or Doublelift?

Feel free to leave your thoughts and join the discussion!