Gen.G's Canyon Says Western Teams Are Closing the Gap at Worlds 2026

Gen.G jungler Kim "Canyon" Geon-bu believes Western League of Legends teams have been steadily improving and closing the competitive gap with the LCK and LPL. The former world champion said the progress has been building for several years and should not be attributed to Eastern teams becoming weaker.

Canyon shared his thoughts in an exclusive interview with Dot Esports following Gen.G's 2-1 victory over North America's LYON on October 25, 2026. The closely contested series secured Gen.G's place in the Worlds 2026 quarterfinals with an undefeated 3-0 Swiss Stage record.

Asked whether the gap between Eastern and Western teams had narrowed, Canyon agreed but explained that the improvement was not limited to this year's World Championship.

He believes Western teams have been performing consistently well at international tournaments for several years. Rather than seeing their recent performances as evidence of declining standards in the LCK and LPL, Canyon credited Western organizations for becoming more competitive.

The Gen.G jungler described the trend as Western teams "leveling up their performance," suggesting that their progress reflects genuine improvement rather than weaker opposition.

His comments followed a difficult series against LYON, which entered the matchup undefeated after victories over Team Secret Whales and Karmine Corp.

LYON pushed Gen.G to three games after winning the opening match through strong skirmishes and teamfighting. Canyon acknowledged that both teams had prepared well, but Gen.G's initial composition struggled to execute fights effectively.

The Korean team adjusted its draft for Game 2 and eventually completed the comeback. Canyon explained that Gen.G focused on building a poke composition around Ezreal and Jayce in the deciding game, selecting additional champions that complemented those early picks.

Although Gen.G won the series, Canyon admitted that several moments in Game 3 remained difficult to play.

He also praised LYON jungler Kacper "Inspired" Słoma, whom he has faced regularly at international tournaments since 2020. Canyon described Inspired's jungle pathing and overall gameplay as nearly flawless, while highlighting his unusual champion pool.

Despite reaching the Knockout Stage without losing a series, Canyon said Gen.G was not completely satisfied with its performance.

He identified two areas requiring attention: understanding which champions are strongest in the current meta and correcting smaller gameplay mistakes. The team intends to review those weaknesses before returning to competition.

Canyon, who won Worlds 2020 with DAMWON Gaming, also discussed how his approach to competitive play has developed over the years. He emphasized the importance of understanding each new meta quickly rather than relying on a particular champion or playstyle.

For Gen.G, he believes regular communication between the coaching staff and all five players will be essential to finding the right strategies as the tournament progresses.