You’ve seen the banners. You’ve heard the "T1 Fighting" chants that shake the rafters of every stadium from Seoul to London. But honestly, as we head into the 2026 LCK Cup, the T1 League of Legends team looks fundamentally different than the one that just pulled off the impossible three-peat.
It’s weird.
For three years, we had the "ZOFGK" era. Zeus, Oner, Faker, Gumayusi, and Keria. They weren't just a team; they were a unit that felt like it would never break. Then the 2026 offseason hit like a truck. If you’re just tuning in after the 2025 World Championship where they crushed KT Rolster 3-2 in that legendary "Telecom Derby" final, you might be wondering why half the jerseys have different names on them.
The Shocking Exit of Gumayusi
Let’s talk about the elephant in the room. Lee "Gumayusi" Min-hyung, the guy who basically was the swagger of T1, is gone. He didn't just leave; he went to Hanwha Life Esports to join his old buddy Zeus.
It feels wrong, doesn't it?
Most fans assumed he’d be a T1 lifer alongside Faker. But after winning three straight World Championships and claiming the 2025 Finals MVP, Guma decided he needed a new mountain to climb. He spent seven years in that organization. Now, T1 has replaced him with Kim "Peyz" Su-hwan.
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Peyz is a monster. Don't get it twisted. He’s a former Gen.G prodigy who just spent a stint in China with JD Gaming, but he’s basically the "new blood" tasked with filling the biggest shoes in esports history. T1 signed him through 2028, which tells you they aren't looking for a short-term fix. They want a new era.
Is Faker Really Playing Until 2029?
Yes. It’s official.
While the rest of the roster shuffled, Lee "Faker" Sang-hyeok signed an extension that keeps him in the mid lane until 2029. He’ll be 33. In League years, that’s practically prehistoric. But look at his 2025 run—he was breaking records for unique champions played and outplaying kids ten years younger than him.
The "Unkillable Demon King" isn't just a nickname anymore; it’s a career trajectory.
People often get wrong that Faker is just a figurehead now. They think Oner and Keria carry him. But if you watch the VODs from the 2025 quarterfinals against Anyone's Legend, Faker’s Anivia and Galio were the only things keeping T1’s three-peat dream alive when they were down 1-2. He’s still the primary shot-caller. He still owns 5.6% of the company. He’s the boss, both literally and figuratively.
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The 2026 T1 Roster Breakdown
The current lineup for the 2026 season is a blend of the "Old Guard" and the "New Challengers":
- Top: Doran (Choi Hyeon-joon)
- Jungle: Oner (Mun Hyeon-jun) — Signed through 2028
- Mid: Faker (Lee Sang-hyeok) — Signed through 2029
- ADC: Peyz (Kim Su-hwan) — Signed through 2028
- Support: Keria (Ryu Min-seok) — Signed through 2026
Why the "T1 Curse" for LPL Teams is Real
There’s this weird myth that T1 just "gets lucky" at Worlds. It’s a talking point every year on Reddit and Twitter. But there's a specific reason they’ve won six World Championships while other "superteams" crumble.
It’s the prep.
During the 2025 season, T1 struggled domestically. They barely squeaked into the LCK playoffs as a lower seed. They actually lost to Gen.G at MSI 2025. But when Worlds comes around, they change.
Keria and Oner have this uncanny ability to "read" the meta better than anyone else. In 2023, they forced everyone to play double-AD carries in the bot lane. In 2025, they pivoted to heavy tank-bust compositions that caught LPL teams like Top Esports completely off guard.
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It’s not luck. It’s a psychological edge. When a team like BLG or TES faces T1, they aren't just playing against five players. They’re playing against the weight of a decade of winning.
What to Expect in the 2026 LCK Cup
Right now, the 2026 LCK Cup is underway at LoL Park. It’s the first real test for this new version of T1.
The biggest storyline? The match against Hanwha Life Esports.
Watching Faker face off against Zeus and Gumayusi is going to be surreal. For the first time in years, T1 isn't the clear favorite to win the LCK. Most analysts are leaning toward Gen.G or the HLE "Superteam."
But honestly? Never bet against the T1 League of Legends team when their backs are against the wall. They’ve made a habit of being "mediocre" in January and "invincible" in November.
Actionable Insights for Fans and Analysts
If you're following T1 this season, keep these specific things in mind:
- Watch the Bot Lane Synergy: Peyz and Keria are both mechanically gifted, but Keria is a very vocal, roaming support. Peyz used to play with Lehends and Delight, who have very different styles. The first 10 games of the 2026 LCK Cup will reveal if they can find that same "telepathic" link Guma and Keria had.
- Doran's Resilience: Doran has often been criticized for "choking" in high-pressure international moments. Joining T1 puts a massive spotlight on him. Watch his performance on weak-side champions like Ornn or Sion; if he can stay stable, T1 remains the team to beat.
- Fearless Draft Impact: The 2026 season heavily utilizes Fearless Draft in several tournament stages. This plays directly into Faker and Keria’s hands, as they have the deepest champion pools in the history of the game.
- Track the Matchups: T1's next big matches are against DRX (Jan 18) and the KT Rolster "Telecom War" rematch (Jan 23). These will be the primary indicators of their early-season form.
The T1 League of Legends team is no longer the "Five Gods" that dominated 2023-2025. It’s a new project. Whether Peyz can replicate the clutch factor of Gumayusi is the $6 million question—which, incidentally, is roughly what Faker is making this year.