Information checked through October 13, 2026. No match spoilers. ZUIAN has not been confirmed out of the entire World Championship. Top Esports (TES) has announced that 369 will return as its starting top laner.
A community translation of TES’s October 6 announcement says ZUIAN did not pass two interviews for a US visa and cannot travel with the squad on its original schedule. The club was still trying to secure a third interview. That establishes an immediate substitution—not the result of the next attempt or a permanent tournament withdrawal.
Why is 369 suddenly available? In April he stepped away from the starting roster to work on his form. ZUIAN was promoted from the TES development team into that very position. Now the former starter is returning to cover for his replacement. The top lane has produced a plot twist before a single Worlds match.
Riot’s official guide lists the Play-In for October 15–18 and the Swiss Stage, including TES, from October 23. That distinction explains the timeline, but it does not guarantee visa approval, travel or eventual eligibility to play.
On Reddit, fans were surprised that 369 was available as backup and worried about international travel restrictions. The specific reason for ZUIAN’s interview outcomes was not established in the sources checked. Online guesses are not official findings.
Bottom line: TES is in Worlds and 369 is the announced starter. Whether ZUIAN can appear later remains unresolved. Look for TES’s next announcement rather than a premature farewell headline.
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