This article explains our rankings of the teams in MSI 2023.
MSI 2023 is around the corner as League of Legends Esports is getting its first international tournament of the year. With a revamped format and more meaningful games, this year’s MSI promises to be good.
Royal Never Give Up (RNG) won last year’s MSI, but they are not in this year’s tournament. Only Bin from Bilibili Gaming is here to defend his trophy as he was in the MSI 2022 Champions team. LCK won Worlds 2022. Hence they are getting two teams straight into the Bracket Stage.
With this tournament being hosted in the UK for the first time, there is a lot of anticipation from the fans to be a joyous event. Hopefully, the LEC representatives will be able to give the fans a performance to get behind them. That said, let’s talk about teams at MSI 2023 and put them on a Power Rankings list.
Read More: Can G2 Perform Well At MSI 2023?
MSI 2023 Rankings
There are thirteen teams in the tournament, and there is a lot of competition left ahead of us. Thus, without further ado, let’s jump right into the rankings. Below is an infographic of our power rankings for MSI 2023. The rankings were made in consensus amongst the writers credited for the article. Let’s talk about the teams in reverse order of the list.
13. Movistar R7
As the LLA representative, R7 does not have a lot of expectations. The region has struggled in the past international tournaments, so expectations are low for this team. Especially since the first matchup for them is versus BLG, it is a tall order for them to proceed to the next stage of the tournament.
12. LOUD
The CBLOL representatives, LLL, have a tall order to proceed to the later parts of the tournament as well. While they were slotted in Group B of the Play-Ins, their first opponent was G2 Esports. If they can knock G2 off, taking advantage of G2’s recent bad form, it will be an immense success for them.
However, this is not expected, and this team will have to fight through the Loser’s Bracket and then the Last Chance Qualifier to get to the Brackets Stage. It’s an easier group, but only one team goes through the LCQ. Hopefully, they will be able to show what they are capable of following roster changes after Worlds 2022.
11. Golden Guardians
No one quite expected Golden Guardians to make it to MSI 2023. They performed well in the LCS to make it here, but there are not a lot of expectations. Being assigned to a group with BLG and even GAM could prove a tall order for them to qualify for the Brackets Stage. This team has a good mid-jungle synergy and a stable bot lane. However, the top lane will face a lot of problems in the tournament.
Hopefully, they perform the tournament enough that the LCS is not another disappointment again.
10. Detonation FocusME
DFM makes an appearance at an international tournament once more as a representative from the LJL. Now, they come into an MSI tournament with a revamped format and more competition on the line for these teams. Being in Group B, this team is capable of making it to the Brackets Stage. It is all contingent on whether they can beat PSG and what form G2 comes in.
Yutapon is still the rock of this team, while the return of Aria has brought a little bit of dynamic play to the team. It all falls on Steal, Aria, and Yutapon to take this team over the line for this tournament. Overall, DFM is a Play-Ins team with the potential a run into the Brackets Stage.
9. GAM Esports
As a representative of the VCS, GAM has a lot to prove. They are the team that dominates their region and shows up on the international stage. Since the VCS’s return to the international stage, they have not done much. It is up to GAM to prove they can compete and win on the international stage.
It falls on the veteran jungler in Levi, along with the players on the team, to show what they are made of. Only time will tell if they can make a run.
8. PSG Talon
As a veteran of international tournaments, PSG makes their appearance once more. The acquisition of Junjia has elevated the team to make their way to MSI 2023. For a fairly long time, they have been the best team amongst wildcard regions, and it shows in their performance.
Whether they can make a run with a newer roster will be interesting to see. They are in the easier of the two groups to be the overall winners, so it will be nice to see what PSG can do in the Play-Ins. Regardless, they are a team that we should expect to make it to the Brackets Stage, whether winning to the LCQ or being the winner of Group B.
7. G2 Esports
G2 makes it 7 on our list as potentially the second-strongest team in the Play-Ins. The Winter Split winners have a lot to prove after a rather shaky Spring playoff. Caps have had a down split, and he will be motivated to improve his performance. With a rookie jungler and a veteran squad around him, this will be an interesting tournament for G2.
For sure, G2 has more upside and is more capable of causing an upset, given their take on drafting and such. They are definitely favorites in Group B, and we should expect to see them in the Brackets Stage.
6. Cloud9
Cloud9 is higher than G2, considering they are in the Brackets Stage already. Given they get a good matchup in the Brackets Stage, this team could make a run. However, against many of the other teams on the list, it will be hard to win at MSI 2023. Double Elimination will give them a 2nd chance to win a series and perhaps more.
Fudge and Berserker are the key players on this team, but they are going to be up against the best of the best. Especially Fudge, considering how he can really propel this team forward. They are definitely the hope of the LCS, and we will need to see if they can perform.
5. MAD Lions
The miracle run got MAD Lions to MSI 2023. No one expected MAD Lions to win the Spring Playoffs. Chasy and Elyoya were clear standouts in the playoffs, with Nisqy, Hylissang, and Carzzy contributing to the wins. What this run from MAD Lions has shown is that they can win with their own style of a setup style mid-laner, carry top lane, and safe bot lane.
Whether they can do that at MSI 2023 is yet to be seen. There will definitely be better competition, and it will be up to MAD to rise up to the occasion. However, no one should be banking on them performing, especially if they get someone like T1 in the first round. It will be interesting to see this team on the international stage.
4. Bilibili Gaming
Despite BLG being in the Play-Ins, they are clearly a strong team. In the LPL playoffs, this split was stacked with BLG scrapping through to the finals only to lose to the juggernaut in JDG. BLG definitely has high expectations, with many players like Xun and Elk motivated to really perform. Bin will want to defend his MSI title as well and give it a proper go to win it all again.
However, they do have some deficiencies, as the LPL Playoffs showed. So, the odds are against them to win it all. Coming back to where they start from, the Play-Ins should be relatively easy for them to qualify from. Thus, we should expect BLG to be there in the Brackets Stage, given they are the best team in the Play-Ins.
3. T1
Coming second in a shocking Finals in the LCK Spring Playoffs was a blow to the fans. Given the split T1 was having, not winning is a disappointment. They do make it straight to the Brackets Stage due to LCK winning Worlds 2022. So, that gives T1 a good amount of time to bounce back, fix their issues, and be one of the favorites to win MSI 2023.
Their matchup for the first round is undecided, but whoever they face will have to be prepared for a motivated T1 squad. They are definitely one of the strongest teams in MSI 2023.
2. Gen.G
No one really expected Gen.G to win the LCK after Ruler left the team. Peyz has come in and fit in nicely alongside Delight in the bot lane. However, the real story is the mid-jungle synergy between Peanut and Chovy, which remains the strongest part of Gen.G. Also, Doran showing up like that in the Finals shows even their weakest player can really perform.
This team will be a force to be reckoned with at MSI 2023, and everyone wants to see how they perform as the top seed of the LCK.
1. JD Gaming
Lastly, we have JDG at the top of the list. This LPL Super Team, on paper, is one of the most unfair rosters assembled. If a poll were done right now, some would say that they have the best top laner, jungler, and bot lane at MSI 2023. That’s with knight as the mid laner in the roster. It is absurd how much talent is on this team, and it showed in the LPL Playoffs.
They dominated BLG in the finals, and Ruler got his first LPL trophy and Finals MVP. This team is definitely the favorite to win it all, but they do have obstacles, such as Ruler’s old roster, Gen.G and T1. Kanavi and knight have underperformed in the playoffs before, so they will have to come here and show that they can perform on the international stage. This will be a good tournament for JDG.
