Five major storylines heading into the 2026 ALGS Championship

Year 5 of the Apex Legends Global Series (ALGS) has been a season marked by teams dominating regions and players shattering records in the scene.

With the ALGS Championship 2026 around the corner, fans are eager to see who will be crowned this season’s champion in Sapporo, Japan, next week.

Esports Insider covers the biggest teams that defined ALGS Year 5, many of which will see their storylines end in the upcoming crowning event, running from January 15th to 18th.

Out of the 40 teams that have qualified for the tournament, Alliance stands as one of the favourites to win it all based on its performance throughout the season. The team has topped the Championship Points rankings as a result of its top placements in Year 5.

Alliance’s strongest display by far comes from the EMEA Pro Leagues, placing first in both splits to qualify for the ALGS 2026 Championship. The organisation also placed second at the ALGS 2025 Open, taking home $150,000 (~£111,639) in prize pool funds.

The 2025 Championship saw Alliance finishing runner-up as GoNext Esports snatched the champion title from its grasp in the Finals, a disappointing result considering its dominance throughout the year.

While Alliance has rampaged through EMEA, Gen.G Esports has been making a name for itself in the APAC South region as a top contender to win the ALGS Championship. 

This is due to the impressive individual performance of its players, with some of them breaking numerous ALGS records during the Split 2 Pro League. Gen.G Esports is also the second-highest ranked in the Championship Points standings for Year 5, falling just behind Alliance. 

2025 has shaped up to be a significant year for the organisation, putting it on the radar of many fans and rival teams alike despite being relatively new to the scene. This lies in stark contrast to how Gen.G Esports initially entered Apex Legends in 2019, releasing its roster after only a few months. 

Aurora Gaming concluded 2025 with the signing of the former Natus Vincere (NAVI) roster, which comprises two players who won the 2025 ALGS Championship. 

Following the high of the 2025 ALGS Championship victory, the players faced numerous challenges in Year 5. The duo placed 28th in the ALGS 2025 Open and 17th in the Midseason Playoffs while representing NAVI. 

Despite this, the team qualified for the World Championship after placing 21st in the Championship Point rankings. 

As a result, all eyes will be on whether Jose ‘Uxako‘ Llosa and Filipe ‘Hiarka‘ Morgado can once again take home the trophy home as they did earlier with GoNext Esports, alongside Aurora Gaming’s third member, Anton ‘Slab’ Eklundh.

In the history of ALGS, no team has hoisted the trophy twice in the World Championship; however, Year 5 could change that. 

Following its 2025 Championship win, GoNext Esports parted ways with its roster to enter the next season with a new trio. The team had a rough start, as it finished 137th at the 2025 Open, but it turned things around five months later by placing runner-up in the EMEA Split 2 Pro League. 

On the other hand, the 2023 champion, TSM, finished seventh in the Americas Split 1 Pro League, marking its best performance of Year 5. The organisation barely qualified for the 2026 Championship, ranking 27th out of the top 30 teams in the Championship Points rankings.

Considering the inconsistent performances this year and the departure of Championship-winning players, TSM and Go Next Esports aren’t considered front-runners. However, the upcoming tournament presents an opportunity for either one of them to potentially become the first two-time ALGS champion. one of them to potentially become the first two-time ALGS champions. 

40 teams have qualified for the 2026 ALGS Championship, meaning fans will get to watch 120 of the world’s best Apex Legends players compete, ranging from esports icons to rising stars. 

One of the biggest names attending the tournament is Phillip ‘ImperialHal’ Dosen, a former world champion and prodigy, competing with Team Falcons. He displayed a strong competitive performance in Year 5, helping his team win both the 2025 Open and Americas Split 1 Pro League. 

Evan ‘Verhulst’ Verhulst, a household name in the Apex Legends esports scene, is also another highlight player to watch in the 2026 Championship. He will be participating under Crazy Thieves’ banner, the union between 100 Thieves and Crazy Raccoon, as he aims to secure his second ALGS Championship title. 

In addition to this, a variety of players have stood out throughout the year, but Miron ‘Effect’ Novikov from Alliance has proven to be a cut above the rest. According to data published by the official Apex Legends esports account, he leads the 2025 season as the top fragger with 410 eliminations to his name.