Western teams from the LEC and LCS enter the October 2026 Demacia Cup Global Invitational as underdogs against LPL and LCK squads, consistent with trader pricing that assigns a 40% implied probability of a Western champion. The field consists of mid-tier Eastern squads (LPL/LCK fifth through seventh place) alongside Western fourth- and fifth-place finishers that missed Worlds qualification, preserving the long-standing regional strength gap evident in prior international results. The Swiss stage opens with random draws avoiding intra-region matchups and shifts to best-of-three series, followed by an offline single-elimination bracket in Beijing, where stylistic and execution edges typically favor Eastern rosters. No confirmed roster changes or injury reports have altered that baseline assessment ahead of the October 3 start.