Faker May Struggle with the ASIAD Team
A few years ago, when Esports in general and League of Legends in particular first appeared at ASIAD, and later became an official medal competition, Faker was always part of the South Korean national team’s lineup for this event. In 2018, it was a given that Faker would participate as he was still at the peak of his performance and skills at that time. Even in the recent ASIAD, despite showing some decline, Faker was still selected, simply because he is a visual icon and has proven his capabilities in the later stages of his career.
However, with T1’s performance in this season’s LCK Cup, coupled with Faker’s previous ASIAD appearance, the likelihood of Faker missing this event suddenly becomes very high. In this case, even as a substitute, there are other players who are proving to be more deserving than T1’s Mid Laner, a prime example being VicLa from BNK.
If Faker Misses, the Impact on Esports at ASIAD Could Be Significant
It is well-known that at ASIAD, the Esports discipline primarily attracts viewership for trending games, with League of Legends being a prime example. To maintain this appeal, Faker is a crucial name. Therefore, T1’s inability to participate not only affects the chances of this team’s players attending ASIAD but also impacts Faker personally and the appeal of Esports at ASIAD.
Furthermore, the 2026 tournament could mark the first time Faker is absent from this continental sports event since ASIAD officially made League of Legends an official medal competition. These are predictions that can be made in advance, especially after T1’s loss to DK, leaving many fans feeling disappointed.