Toplaner for the Chinese team Top Esports (TES), Chen "ZUIAN" Tze-Hao, will be unable to participate in this year's League of Legends World Championship (Worlds 2026) held in the United States. The player has had his US visa application denied twice. The organization has decided to return Bai "369" Jia-Hao to the starting roster; he has not competed professionally since early March. The club has submitted a third visa application for ZUIAN, but the chances of his timely arrival are extremely low.
ZUIAN's absence is a major blow to both TES and the tournament as a whole. The player had an impressive season this year, earning a spot on the LPL All-Pro First Team and making a stellar international debut at MSI in South Korea. Tournament casters have expressed concern about 369's current form following his seven-month hiatus. Meanwhile, analysts point out that even if the third visa is approved before TES begins playing on October 23, ZUIAN will be at a competitive disadvantage due to a lack of practice, jet lag, and insufficient time to adapt.
This incident is the latest in a series of visa controversies surrounding competitions held in the US. Esports athletes Frankie "Zamudo" Lin, Christian "KryRa" Rahayaan, and Cho "Castle" Hyeon-seon have faced similar issues previously. Additionally, the Wolves Esports Rainbow Six Siege roster was forced to withdraw from the BLAST R6 Major Salt Lake City 2026 due to visa denials. Similar logistical crises have also affected traditional sports: last year, the Iranian national team at the FIFA World Cup was based in Mexico due to their inability to obtain long-term visas, while Somali referee Omar Abdulkadir Artan was unable to enter the country altogether.
The current situation has sparked a wave of criticism directed at Riot Games. As early as the tournament's announcement, the community raised concerns about the impact of strict US immigration policies on team logistics. In the spring of this year, Global Head of LoL Esports Chris Greeley assured fans that the company was actively collaborating with government contacts and agencies to guarantee players unimpeded entry.
Now, fans and commentators are accusing the organizers of failing to deliver on those promises. The community is heavily criticizing Riot Games' decision to keep the tournament in the US despite the obvious risks and previous visa denial precedents. The situation is raising significant competitive concerns, as these logistical issues place teams at an unfair disadvantage heading into the biggest esports event of the year.
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