Gen.G Returns to Worlds Finals for the First Time Since the Samsung Era
Gen.G Esports has officially punched their ticket to the 2026 League of Legends World Championship finals. In a commanding performance at the Credit Union of Texas Event Center in Allen, Texas, Gen.G swept IG with a 3-0 victory, securing their place in the championship match and moving one step closer to the Summoner's Cup.
The victory marks a historic milestone for the organization. This is Gen.G's first appearance in a Worlds final in nine years, dating back to the era when the roster competed as Samsung Galaxy. For the current core of Kiin, Chovy, and Duro, this match represents their first career attempt to lift the Worlds trophy.
A High-Stakes Game 3
While Gen.G maintained momentum throughout the series, the deciding third game presented a significant challenge. IG started aggressively, with Meiko's Alistar putting immediate pressure on Gen.G's bot lane. This early advantage allowed Wei's Naafiri to secure counter-jungling opportunities and helped IG claim the first Dragon. The pressure mounted as TheShy's Gnar, bolstered by a successful top-lane roam, forced Kiin's Camille to recall, leaving the top lane vulnerable.
IG capitalized on these openings, securing a four-man dive in the top lane and a double kill through Rookie's Locke. The lead grew rapidly, with IG reaching a 6-0 kill score and a gold advantage exceeding 4,000. Gen.G managed to stabilize briefly by catching Gnar at the cost of Duro's Nautilus, and later managed to narrow the gap by picking off Gnar and Alistar near the Baron pit, despite Ruler's Yunara being taken down by Locke's burst damage.
The turning point arrived during a critical Dragon contest. After Chovy's Taliyah successfully isolated JiaQi's Ezreal with an ultimate, IG fought back to maintain their momentum and secured the Mountain Soul. However, Gen.G responded with clinical precision, diving into the fight to steal the Dragon, cleaning up the remaining IG champions, and securing the Baron buff.
Despite IG's resilience—which included catching Yunara and Nautilus in a high-tension skirmish—Gen.G's macro play proved superior. Using Nautilus to pull Ezreal into a perfectly positioned teamfight, Gen.G swept the final engagement and marched down the mid lane to seal the 3-0 sweep and their advancement to the finals.