For the first time in the organization's history, G2 Esports will not be attending the League of Legends World Championship. G2 Esports faced off against Fnatic in the lower bracket of the 2021 League of Legends European Championship for the final spot to represent the LEC at Worlds alongside Rogue and MAD Lions, but it was Fnatic who took the series 3-2. G2's 2021 season has come to an end, while Fnatic's will move on to face Rogue to see who meets MAD Lions in the finals.

Fnatic and G2 Esports' paths through the 2021 LEC Summer Playoffs could not have been more different. G2 Esports, having secured a top 4 finish in the LEC Summer Split, started in the upper bracket against MAD Lions, but lost to the reigning LEC champion 3-1 and found itself in the lower bracket. Misfits lost to Rogue 3-2 on the other side of the upper bracket, and because G2 was seeded higher than MSF, G2 was placed one round ahead of MSF in the lower bracket.

This painted a very clear picture for Fnatic. The squad had enjoyed a strong summer after the revelation that was Gabriël "Bwipo"  Rau's mid-season role swap from top lane to jungle, but the team lost its last four matches of the regular season and settled for a lower bracket placing. Fnatic would have to beat Team Vitality, Misfits, and G2 Esports if it wanted to guarantee a top 3 finish and qualify for Worlds alongside Rogue and MAD Lions. 

Fnatic did just that, and in dramatic fashion, too  — all three best-of-five series won by Fnatic went all five games.

Fnatic will now face off against Rogue, who was swept by MAD Lions in the upper bracket semifinal, with the loser of FNC vs RGE settling for the 3rd LEC Worlds 2021 seed and the winner fighting MAD for the 1st Worlds seed and the summer title.