These are the best teams to watch at Demacia Cup 2020

The Demacia Cup 2020 represents the culminating Chinese League of Legends tournament this year, showcasing numerous compelling players and squads worthy of close observation. This prestigious event provides the perfect platform for evaluating emerging talent and testing strategic adaptations.

This year’s competition features 24 total teams battling for championship glory and the prestige associated with victory. The diverse participant pool combines established LPL powerhouses with ambitious smaller organizations eager to demonstrate their capabilities against world-class competition.

The tournament consistently introduces fresh talent and new team configurations that merit fan attention. While some competitors are familiar faces who changed organizations during the offseason, others represent completely unknown quantities who could emerge as the next generation of Chinese LoL superstars.

Can RNG defend the Demacia Cup trophy?

Following their 2019 Demacia Cup championship victory, Royal Never Give Up naturally commands significant attention as defending titleholders. Despite fielding a modified lineup compared to last year’s winning roster, the former champions maintain realistic prospects of securing back-to-back successes.

For the upcoming competitive season, RNG has strategically integrated top laner Yang “Xiaobai” Zhong-He, jungler Yan “Wei” Yang-Wei, and support specialist Dang “Lele” Bo-Lin into their active roster. All three acquisitions will participate in Demacia Cup matches, providing crucial performance data for assessing RNG’s competitive strength heading into the new season.

With numerous formidable opponents already securing playoff berths, RNG confronts substantially greater challenges than during their previous championship run. The team must establish competitive momentum during initial group stage encounters and sustain that forward progress throughout the elimination bracket phase.

RNG will start its group stage on December 22. 

The four LPL Worlds teams look scary

The Demacia Cup experience remains incomplete without examining the premier LPL organizations. All four Chinese representatives from the recent 2020 World Championship have secured automatic advancement to the quarterfinal round, where they’ll face group stage survivors.

Entering these crucial matches, TOP Esports, Suning, JD Gaming, and LGD Gaming emerge as probable favorites in their respective elimination bracket encounters. Although these teams benefit from recent international competition experience, their tournament motivation levels represent significant variables.

The elite seeded competitors have implemented various roster modifications, though most appear sufficiently robust for extended tournament campaigns. JD Gaming particularly stands out as a potential championship favorite, maintaining identical lineup configuration to their Worlds roster. Their premature Worlds elimination could fuel competitive determination for redemption. To enhance strategic flexibility, JDG has incorporated mid laner Su “Xiye” Han-Wei into their player pool, available for deployment when tactical situations demand.

All four teams will enter the tournament from December 24. 

Can a non-LPL team make an upset at Demacia Cup?

Although the Demacia Cup includes organizations beyond the LPL ecosystem, no non-LPL squad has historically achieved significant tournament breakthroughs. This year features eight external participants, all confronting substantial obstacles in group stage advancement.

Despite historical trends, League of Legends inherently permits unexpected outcomes, with one particular group configuration offering potential upset opportunities. Group C warrants particular fan scrutiny, lacking established LPL powerhouse organizations. This structural characteristic provides the three non-LPL entrants—Young Miracles, TT, and LYA—with marginally improved competitive prospects.

Containing only two LPL representatives represents advantageous circumstances, particularly when those teams (eStar Gaming and Victory Five) demonstrate notorious inconsistency and unpredictable performance patterns. While upset probabilities remain statistically low, this group configuration presents the most plausible scenario for underdog achievements.

Group C starts on December 22. 

What is the Demacia Cup?

The Demacia Cup constitutes an annual competitive tournament hosted within China. The event incorporates teams from China’s premier LPL alongside developmental organizations competing in lower-tier circuits. This competition operates independently of franchise league structures, serving as an offseason platform where organizations can experiment with new talent or pursue championship aspirations. The 2019 Demacia Cup championship was secured by Royal Never Give Up.

Who has won the Demacia Cup?

The inaugural Demacia Cup competition occurred in 2013, with Invictus Gaming capturing the championship trophy. Since that initial event, ten subsequent tournaments have concluded with only select organizations achieving victory. Indeed, just three franchises—Invictus Gaming, EDward Gaming, and RNG—have claimed Demacia Cup titles. EDward Gaming dominates the historical record with six championship victories. The organization secured five consecutive trophies during their championship dynasty.

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