The reality when it comes to competitive League of Legends is that Korea’s League of Legends Champions Korea (LCK) and China’s League of Legends Professional League (LPL) are the top two regions in the global ecosystem.
That doesn’t mean the remainder of Asia is willing to just throw in the towel to those regions. Enter the League of Legends Champions Pacific (LCP), incorporating eight teams from Japan, Taiwan, and Vietnam.
Team Secret Whales emerged victorious from the 2026 LCP Split 1, finishing 9-1 overall to earn a spot in São Paulo, Brazil, to take part in First Stand 2026. They open their tournament Monday against a European side, G2 Esports.
“We have made it through the LCP to bring Vietnam to be the representative of the region,” TSW jungler Lê "Hizto" Văn Hoàng Hải said.
Split 1 started off rocky for Team Secret Whales, with a 1-1 record in the first two weeks. TSW rallied, winning their next eight series to earn the LCP’s slot in Brazil.
“In the very beginning of this split, we had a lot of problems going on,” Lê said. “But as we move into the playoffs, we have made major improvements, and we have become way better.”
TSW ranks 16th in the first edition of the League of Legends Global Power Rankings, though the rankings can be skewed by 2025’s season despite roster shakeups.
TSW is still early in its history. The team was formed in December 2024, following a merger of two Vietnamese teams – Team Whales and Team Secret. The 2025 season was a strong year for the first-year team. They began the 2025 season ranked 36th in the world but gradually improved to finish 21st.
More importantly, the end of 2025 provided Team Secret Whales with something far more valuable: an opportunity to travel to their first international. TSW qualified for the 2025 World Championships in China, finishing in the 12-14th place range.
“We have proven to the world that we are definitely not a weak region at all,” Lê said.
The international experience was valuable, as it gave Lê and his teammates the chance to play against other high-level players from other regions. His experience is typical of many first-time players on the international stage.
“After last year’s Worlds, I was able to meet a lot of new people. I was able to encounter a lot of strong opponents in my games,” he said. “As I went home, I started setting out new standards for myself. I started raising the bar so that I could become better.”
The mindset isn’t limited to Lê and Team Secret Whales. Lê credits the overall dedication of players in the country to growing collectively, not only to define the country’s player expression and style, but also to create a strong competitive scene where experiences like traveling to international events can be had.
“Each player developed themselves, they work together more closely,” Lê said. “Vietnam as a region has a very distinctive playstyle, which leans more towards teamfight than mechanics and solo kills.”
Lê is the second youngest player at the event. At 18, he is one month older than Korean bottom laner Nam “Diable” Dae-geun of BNK FEARX, the youngest player at First Stand 2026. It might only be Lê’s second international tournament, but he looks at every chance to play in another country as a blank canvas.
“Every time I go to an international tournament, it’s like opening a new chapter for myself,” he said. “It feels like you’re opening up your own new world.”
For Lê, and for Vietnam, the world is still opening up.
Paul Delos Santos covers the Fighting Game Community and Riot Games ecosystem for The Sporting Tribune and Inside Esports, a newsletter publishing every Tuesday and Friday. Subscribe at insideesports.media.
