It’s that time of the year once again – the latest ESL LoL Premiership has been announced and the eight teams have qualified.
We’ll add the latest roster listings to this page as and when they’re revealed. If you’re an org and want us to update this article with your team details, please DM ENUK on Twitter.
MnM Gaming
MnM are no strangers to winning the ESL Prem and will be aiming high again this split no doubt.
- Top: Only Angel
- Jungle: Skudzy
- Mid: Tivity
- ADC: Joekerism
- Support: Kamilius
- Coach: Fykling
Twix Enclave Gaming
The ultimate meme dream team are back, and this time they’re armed with superior payment from Enclave founder Britsaint in the form Twix bars.
- Top: kerber0s
- Jungle: Munckizz
- Mid: Paris
- ADC: Frapii
- Support: Shogun
- Coach: Hansen
WAR
The former Challenger Series org are taking part in the ESL Prem for the first time this split.
- Top: Rifty
- Jungle: Dan
- Mid: Godbro
- ADC: xMatty
- Support: Labrov
- Coach: AoD
Misfits Academy side
EU LCS org Misfits have entered the ESL Prem with an academy team.
- Top: Jordan “Shikari” Pointon
- Jungle: Mo “Afflict” Chinoune
- Mid: Joran “Special” Scheffer
- ADC: Lars “Chrisberg” Christiansen
- Support: Tom “Prosfair” Willis
NerdRage: ‘We’re going to give other teams a run for their money’
NerdRage have come close to winning top UK tournaments like the ESL Prem and UK Masters.
But these near victories haven’t deterred them. If anything it’s spurred them on to come back and have another go, with greater determination and fight.
They’ve put together a solid roster, including promising 18-year-old newcomer The Governor (who took part in the ENUK Scouting Grounds), as well as experienced UK talent Jakamaka and Snuggli and others.
Their mid-laner Sveronis is also one to watch, especially with Katarina.
Coach Mannimal said in an announcement post on the NerdRage website: “This roster is going to give a lot of teams a run for their money this split.
“Although relatively unknown or disregarded as ‘weaker’ players compared to others, the lads are extremely motivated not only to play but improve each scrim we play. I see the team getting stronger and stronger.”
- Top: James “The Governor” Gove
- Jungle: Christoph “Kv0th3” Rabenstein
- Mid: Diva
- ADC: Jake “Jakamaka” Sampson-Roberts
- Support: Rich “Snuggli” Farmery
- Manager: Sam “Mannimal” Newbould
- Head coach: Tim “Heron” Gudz
Diabolus: ‘We’re rebuilding one of the strongest rosters the UK has seen’
Diabolus surprised the scene with their announcement earlier this month, when they signed the former ManaLight/MnM Gaming roster, who won the UK Prem a few years back with many players joining teams across Europe and gaining even more experience.
Diabolus team manager Richard “Froomie” Froom said in a statement: “With this being Diabolus’ first split in the UK scene, this roster is a massive statement of intent. Four of the players will be remembered as the core four from the Manalight/MnM roster which saw a lot of success two seasons ago, and now return with more experience from higher levels of play.
“They return with a top-laner that made a name for himself in his debut season as one of the UK’s top talents. It won’t take long for the roster to find their rhythm once again, and will no doubt be competing at the top end of the table later this split.
“Having already found success in CSGO, the foundations are set for Diabolus to have a strong bid for the ESL UK & Ireland LoL Premiership title.”
- Top: Jani “Igloo” Heinonen
- Jungle: Lucas “Phurion” Brammer
- Mid: Emil “Larssen” Larsson
- ADC: Ludvig “XD Smiley” Granquist
- Support: Mantas “Hadow” Sukevičius
- Head Coach: Doruk “Doruk” Hacioglu
- Team Manager: Richard “Froomie” Froom
- Head Analyst: Danny “Wolf” Brain
exceL Esports: ‘It’s important to keep some of the core team from last split’
xL, the current ESL Prem champions, saw their trusty bot lane duo part ways recently.
ADC Innaxe moved to KIYF in Spain (and EU LCS side Splyce as a sub), and support Aux stepped away from League to focus on studies.
It was unfortunate that Riot’s new European Cup – a league consisting of all the national league champions – didn’t qualify exceL for a place in Europe. Yet.
The boys will be working hard no doubt to try and win the Prem yet again, and stake a claim for League of Legends European greatness.
They have replaced Innaxe and Aux with solid pairing Venzer and DuaLL, who have vast experience across Europe, and have managed to keep Taxer and Kruimel on the roster.
There was some moaning from people in the UK scene about exceL having a European-heavy roster, but ESL UK rules state that three of the five players in each team must either be British or reside in the UK, a rule which xL is following with the roster.
General manager Barnetto said: “We found it important to keep some of the core of the team from last split into the next. The synergy that they had built over the past six months is something that we want to build upon further into 2018 and really make them a dominant force within the UK and beyond.”
- Top: TBC
- Jungle: Christian “Taxer” Jensen
- Mid: Brayan “Kruimel” Van Oosten
- ADC: Alexander “Venzer” Kostadinov
- Support: Ángel “DuaLL”‘ Fernández
- General manager: Ryan “Barnetto” Barnett
Hyperion
Hyperion acquired No Org No Problem’s roster after week 1.
- Daejin
- DanXD
- Matt1509
- Mistogun
- SkedenXD
Other orgs outside the Prem
Newcastle Jaguars
The Newcastle Jaguars have entered the fray – and have Premiership qualification in their sights.
They have also enlisted the coaching services of Ashley “Slip” Haynes, who has built up notoriety in the UK League of Legends scene after being dismissed from NerdRage last year.
Their roster is as follows:
- Top: Mr Tank
- Jungle: Tortoise
- Mid: Carniflexin
- ADC: Hosshin
- Support: Grk
- Manager: Slip
- Manager: xSkyrah
- Coach: Jake Hammond
- Coach: k0n
Hyperion: ‘It’s a rookie roster but has eagerness, potential and skill’ (written before they signed No Org No Problem’s qualified roster)
Manager Jake Reynolds and coach Lee Joo Ho from last year’s Insomnia-winning team ViM Esports have returned with a new roster for Hyperion.
Lee Joo Ho told Esports News UK: “I know that people recognise me as the loud-talking and super-cocky Korean behind experienced players, but I am here to show them that real talent comes from hard work and dedication, a talent that I am more than willing to use with Hyperion this split!
“We are going to give it our best shot and see how far it carries us, I have great faith in my players, and the org behind me. I joined Hyperion to show the esports community that I can be a coach that works with less experienced players and turn it into gold.”
On the roster itself, Jakey added: “Renghis is a solid player with the independence and macro awareness required in the top lane. If Noltey continues to develop he will be the next UK’s next top jungler in a couple of splits.
“We are going to give it our best shot and see how far it carries us, I have great faith in my players, and the org behind me.”
Lee Joo Ho, Hyperion
“Vango has been described by Lee as a mini ScarletRedHands. Aethér struggled in the December UK Scouting Grounds, however, I felt he had great potential and stuck by him. Given time he will be a top UK ADC. And Viggo is the man that Aethér wanted in his lane – a strong laner who creates space for Aethér to carry the game.
Org owner Paul Minchell commented: “Our ambition is to turn Hyperion into a sustainable esports organisation. The ESL Prem team is not an attempt at a single split, but a continuation of our development.
“Our approach to esports is to work effectively and professionally. We are looking to grow throughout 2018 by bringing the right talent on board, building and developing our teams, and developing professional partnerships.”
- Top: Renghis Khan
- Jungle: Noltey
- Mid: Vango
- ADC: Aethér
- Support: Viggo
- Head Coach: Lee Joo Ho
- Team Manager: Jake Reynolds
If you’re an org and want us to update this article with your team details, please DM ENUK on Twitter.
Dom is an award-winning writer and finalist of the Esports Journalist of the Year 2023 award. He graduated from Bournemouth University with a 2:1 degree in Multi-Media Journalism in 2007.
As a long-time gamer having first picked up the NES controller in the late ’80s, he has written for a range of publications including GamesTM, Nintendo Official Magazine, industry publication MCV and others. He worked as head of content for the British Esports Federation up until February 2021, when he stepped back to work full-time on Esports News UK and offer esports consultancy and freelance services. Note: Dom still produces the British Esports newsletter on a freelance basis, so our coverage of British Esports is always kept simple – usually just covering the occasional press release – because of this conflict of interest.
