The second week of the LPL Third Split regular season has concluded. Teams in the Summit and Nirvana groups are only one or two games away from completing the first round robin. The disparity in strength between the two groups is still very apparent. The top four teams in the Summit group are all above four wins, while the rest have only one win. The only team in the Summit group that hasn't lived up to expectations is JDG, who have fallen out of the top four, with WE successfully moving up.

In the Nirvana group, both IG and NIP have two wins. Weibo's 0-2 start is somewhat unexpected. With a total of six matches, the top two only need one more win to secure their spot in the Knight's Path. For WBG to keep their playoff hopes alive, they need to win at least three of their remaining four games. Given their current form, making it to the Knight's Path seems challenging. After being swept by NIP, their strength now seems on par with LNG.

Jiejie Confirmed to Return to EDG

Following WBG's two consecutive losses, internal conflicts have surfaced. Rumors from last week suggested that jungler Jiejie would return to EDG, with Xiaohao moving to Weibo in a swap. Recently, the LPL official website updated EDG's roster, listing Jiejie as a jungler. Official sources are far more reliable than leaks, so it's now confirmed that Jiejie is back with EDG, though Xiaohao's status remains unclear.

Weibo's official roster hasn't yet shown Xiaohao joining, so there might still be changes. However, the likelihood of him not going to Weibo is very low. It's essentially safe to assume the two teams have swapped junglers. EDG is currently 0-5, and Weibo is 0-2, both struggling to secure a win. Without a roster change, earning their first victory would be difficult. This decision to swap junglers is likely a positive move—whether it boosts their performance remains to be seen, but the team atmosphere will certainly improve.

Baolan: IG Has a Chance to Make It to Worlds

After IG secured two consecutive wins, former champion support Baolan discussed the team's current state on his stream. Baolan said, "IG gives off a very correct vibe right now. I even think they might actually make it to Worlds. The probability is low, but their energy field is just right." Wow, fans are only daring to dream about the Knight's Path for now, but Baolan is already envisioning Worlds. Isn't that a bit too soon?

The difficulty for IG to reach Worlds is actually quite high. After the second split, IG only has 10 World Championship points. Winning the championship directly is definitely out of the question; their only chance is through the Regional Qualifiers. However, the conditions for IG to enter the qualifiers are also very stringent. They must at least finish in the top 5 of the playoffs to have a chance to surpass Weibo in World Championship points. But it's not entirely impossible, as this year's Summit group teams—except for BLG—are generally weaker.

NS Defeats Both T1's First and Second Teams

After the first week of LCK matches, a two-day break followed. During this time, teams didn't stay idle; the league arranged the KeSPA Cup knockout stage. T1 and NS, who finished first in their groups, faced off again. However, this time T1 fielded their second team. After winning the first game, T1 lost two in a row to NS. First beating the main team, then the second team—NS really seems to be T1's nemesis.

After defeating T1, NS advanced directly to the finals. With just one more win, they can claim the KeSPA Cup title. The situation in the LCK this year is truly bizarre. The strongest teams from the first two splits have collectively underperformed in the new split, while veteran players like BDD, Chovy, and Scout—who were initially underestimated—are experiencing a resurgence. All three have led their teams to two consecutive wins. Is the LCK on the verge of a major shift?

Conclusion:

For IG to reach Worlds, they first need to secure a top-two finish in the Nirvana group. Then, in the Knight's Path, they must defeat a Summit group team to advance to the playoffs. After that, they need to win at least two BO5 series in the knockout stage to finish in the top five, which would give them a chance at the Regional Qualifiers. The difficulty cannot be overstated, but as a longtime LPL viewer, I must admit I'm quite looking forward to seeing IG actually make it to Worlds.

So, what do you think? Does IG have a shot at Worlds?

Feel free to leave a comment and discuss!