Naafiri - League of Legends Champion
Win Rate
50.5%
Pick Rate
4.0%

Naafirivs Malzahar

BAssassinFighter
Patch26.14
Matches491,560
LaneAll Lanes
TierAll Tiers
Last UpdatedJul 22, 2026
MethodologyData Methodology

Naafiri vs Malzahar is a decisive matchup in LoL patch 26.14. Malzahar wins with a 61.6% win rate (+23.3%) over Naafiri based on 73 games. Malzahar holds the advantage in both the early and late game. Below you'll find the best Naafiri build, runes, laning stats, and strategies for the Naafiri vs Malzahar matchup.

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Naafiri Matchup Breakdown

Use the dropdown to select an opponent and see a detailed breakdown of how Naafiri performs against them. You'll get head-to-head win rates, laning stats, the best build and runes for the matchup, and early vs late game analysis — all based on real ranked data.

Compare against an opponent
Naafiri - 38.4% win rate in this matchup
Naafiri
38.4% WR
VS
Malzahar vs Naafiri matchup - 61.6% win rate
Malzahar
61.6% WR

Who Wins the Naafiri vs Malzahar Matchup?

Malzahar wins the Naafiri vs Malzahar matchup
Winner
Malzahar
Matches: 73
38.4%
Win Rate
61.6%
5.9
CS / min
7.2
822
DMG / min
872
11,977
Gold / game
12,393
215
Heal / min
65
686
DMG Mitigated / min
478
0.0
CC / min
1.7
46.4%
Early Game WR
53.6%
33.3%
Late Game WR
66.7%

Naafiri vs Malzahar Matchup Summary

The Naafiri vs Malzahar matchup is a decisive matchup in League of Legends ranked play. Based on 73 recent matches analyzed, Malzahar wins with a 61.6% win rate compared to Naafiri's 38.4%, giving Malzahar a 23.3 percentage point advantage. Malzahar dominates at every stage — from early laning through late game team fights. This consistent advantage makes it difficult for Naafiri players to find favorable windows, so team-dependent strategies and avoiding solo confrontations are essential. The most significant statistical gap is in crowd control, where Malzahar leads by 1.7s CC/min — a difference that heavily influences the outcome of trades and skirmishes. Malzahar has a strong advantage in this matchup. Naafiri players should play defensively, prioritize safe farming under tower, and look for opportunities created by jungle pressure or Malzahar overextending. Avoid prolonged trades and wait for team fights where positioning and coordination matter more. Understanding these matchup dynamics is essential for champion select decisions and in-game strategy when facing this lane opponent.

Naafiri vs Malzahar Laning Phase Breakdown

Malzahar wins the laning phase against Naafiri in League of Legends

Malzahar is favored during the laning phase against Naafiri, winning 4 out of 5 key stat categories. Malzahar holds advantages in farming, damage, gold income and crowd control, making them the stronger laner in this matchup.

Farming
5.9Naafiri
7.2Malzahar
Malzahar significantly out-farms Naafiri by 1.3 CS per minute, accumulating an estimated 20 CS lead by mid game. This substantial farming gap gives Malzahar a major gold advantage and earlier item completions. Naafiri players should prioritize wave management techniques like freezing near tower and using abilities efficiently to minimize the deficit.
Damage
822Naafiri
872Malzahar
Malzahar deals 50 more champion damage per minute than Naafiri. While noticeable in extended trades, this gap can be offset by Naafiri choosing favorable fight windows, such as engaging when Malzahar's key abilities are on cooldown or trading immediately after dodging a skillshot.
Economy
11,977Naafiri
12,393Malzahar
Malzahar earns 417 more gold per game than Naafiri, equivalent to roughly one additional component item. This economic edge comes from a combination of better farming, kill participation, and objective control, giving Malzahar slightly faster item completions.
Utility
0.0Naafiri
1.7Malzahar
Malzahar brings significantly more crowd control than Naafiri, with 1.7 more seconds of CC per minute. This large utility gap makes Malzahar far more valuable in setting up jungle ganks, controlling objectives, and locking down targets in team fights. Naafiri should invest in tenacity and position carefully to avoid being chain-CC'd.
Sustain
901Naafiri
544Malzahar
Naafiri vastly out-sustains Malzahar, healing and mitigating 357 more damage per minute. This massive durability gap means Naafiri can absorb significant punishment and remain in lane while Malzahar is forced to recall. Building grievous wounds early is essential for Malzahar, and focusing on burst trade patterns rather than sustained fights is critical.

Best Naafiri Build Against Malzahar

Chainlaced Crushers is the optimal boots choice against Malzahar, providing the mobility and stats Naafiri needs most in this matchup. The top-performing core items for Naafiri against Malzahar are Voltaic Cyclosword, Hubris and Axiom Arc. This combination gives Naafiri an effective balance of damage, survivability, and utility for the matchup. This build performs exceptionally well, achieving a 55.6% win rate across 9 games — well above average and making it the top item path against Malzahar. Adjustments may be needed based on team compositions and game state, but this build provides the strongest foundation for the Naafiri vs Malzahar matchup.

Early Game vs Late Game

Early Game
Malzahar
53.6%
+7.1% advantage
Naafiri early game win rateNaafiri46.4%
Malzahar early game win rateMalzahar53.6%
Late Game
Malzahar
66.7%
+33.3% advantage
Naafiri late game win rateNaafiri33.3%
Malzahar late game win rateMalzahar66.7%

Malzahar dominates the early game (first 15 minutes) with a commanding 53.6% win rate — a 7.1 percentage point lead over Naafiri. This lopsided early game means Malzahar can dictate the pace of the lane from level 1, controlling trades, wave state, and river priority.

Malzahar is far superior in the late game (25+ minutes), boasting a 66.7% win rate — 33.3 points above Naafiri. Extended games heavily favor Malzahar, whose kit and scaling make them a dominant force in team fights and objective control.

Malzahar holds the advantage at every stage of the game, making this a consistently favorable matchup from lane through late game team fights. Naafiri players should look for outplays, team-dependent strategies, and picks rather than relying on scaling to win this matchup.

Best Naafiri Runes Against Malzahar

Domination rune tree - Naafiri primary runes vs MalzaharDomination
Electrocute - best Naafiri rune vs MalzaharSudden Impact - best Naafiri rune vs MalzaharGrisly Mementos - best Naafiri rune vs MalzaharTreasure Hunter - best Naafiri rune vs Malzahar
Precision rune tree - Naafiri secondary runes vs MalzaharPrecision
Coup de Grace - best Naafiri rune vs MalzaharPresence of Mind - best Naafiri rune vs Malzahar
20.0% WR

The Domination and Precision rune setup gives Naafiri the best tools to compete against Malzahar in this difficult matchup, compensating for the statistical disadvantages with optimal rune synergies.


Naafiri matchup data for League of Legends patch 26.14. The table below shows Naafiri's win rate, gold difference, and performance stats against every champion in the current meta. Click any champion name to see a detailed head-to-head breakdown including the best Naafiri build, runes, laning stats, and early vs late game analysis for that specific matchup.

Naafiri matchup win rates and stats in League of Legends patch 26.14
Opponent
Win Rate
Matches
CS/min
DMG/min
Gold/game
Early WR
Late WR
41.46%1231.370812,46944.7%39.5%
50.41%1214.994812,26860.4%43.8%
57.39%1156.388912,38052.6%59.7%
57.01%1074.293012,35858.7%55.7%
40.95%1051.275312,05346.9%35.7%
52.43%1031.174512,29049.1%56.0%
46.75%771.372512,35048.6%45.2%
50.67%755.993811,46644.7%56.8%
57.33%751.380214,08071.4%48.9%
38.36%735.982211,97746.4%33.3%
47.89%713.576711,59350.0%45.5%
37.14%706.193412,31630.8%40.9%
47.06%681.480113,24250.0%45.0%
55.88%685.898112,04353.6%57.5%
53.73%671.277813,50750.0%55.3%
53.03%663.582112,05850.0%55.0%
44.62%651.370511,98550.0%41.0%
50.00%625.288913,22550.0%50.0%
58.33%606.192412,59762.5%55.6%
50.00%561.177413,05845.8%53.1%
65.45%556.395912,09968.0%63.3%
41.82%555.891412,00550.0%36.4%
47.17%531.271611,87330.8%63.0%
60.38%531.275412,84264.7%58.3%
44.23%521.778011,74443.5%44.8%
50.00%505.989711,82150.0%50.0%
43.75%485.884710,93541.7%45.8%
45.65%461.170811,35137.0%57.9%
50.00%466.288211,15455.0%46.1%
61.90%422.687112,58064.7%60.0%
58.54%411.178512,04070.0%47.6%
52.50%401.171411,81457.9%47.6%
44.74%386.086710,95056.3%36.4%
44.74%381.174111,50461.1%30.0%
60.53%382.079211,66270.6%52.4%
67.57%371.485113,46753.3%77.3%
48.65%371.068512,95552.9%45.0%
52.78%361.178612,96458.3%50.0%
44.44%365.985611,66833.3%52.4%
52.78%366.21,04211,91442.9%59.1%
65.71%353.782613,65333.3%76.9%
51.43%351.171011,47047.1%55.6%
57.58%334.799013,73072.7%50.0%
45.45%331.779011,97857.1%36.8%
53.13%326.091312,99062.5%50.0%
37.50%325.989211,60338.5%36.8%
51.61%311.478811,73253.3%50.0%
54.84%316.189312,66960.0%52.4%
36.67%302.188412,74325.0%44.4%
41.38%291.477613,17050.0%36.8%
24.14%291.268111,69737.5%19.1%
57.14%284.179310,24242.9%71.4%
59.26%276.195812,23870.0%52.9%
59.26%271.886014,41366.7%55.6%
33.33%276.898612,38944.4%27.8%
51.85%276.082112,56177.8%38.9%
38.46%266.898112,64063.6%20.0%
38.46%266.098211,66936.4%40.0%
61.54%266.188812,85157.1%63.2%
52.00%251.679813,31650.0%53.3%
54.17%244.377012,53344.4%60.0%
52.17%236.398111,86772.7%33.3%
39.13%233.676810,08750.0%27.3%
52.17%236.286711,49155.6%50.0%
38.10%213.473512,58233.3%40.0%
28.57%215.793812,29425.0%30.8%
50.00%202.078812,58250.0%50.0%
55.00%203.173411,92837.5%66.7%
63.16%191.374714,36185.7%50.0%
61.11%186.595412,99966.7%58.3%
72.22%182.480611,64066.7%75.0%
66.67%186.289411,57372.7%57.1%
35.29%171.074412,95442.9%30.0%
58.82%175.193613,93133.3%64.3%
43.75%164.488711,47033.3%50.0%
62.50%161.174910,68271.4%55.6%
56.25%165.782511,91137.5%75.0%
66.67%153.489412,70083.3%55.6%
40.00%154.797413,05128.6%50.0%
60.00%154.588111,34057.1%62.5%
53.33%156.783912,99875.0%45.5%
71.43%141.180313,18457.1%85.7%
35.71%146.39019,39855.6%0.0%
42.86%143.292113,11250.0%40.0%
78.57%143.074611,59566.7%87.5%
30.77%131.682813,59150.0%22.2%
61.54%136.51,03813,80883.3%42.9%
25.00%124.987814,4210.0%30.0%
58.33%121.21,03414,88250.0%62.5%
58.33%125.51,07311,60157.1%60.0%
50.00%126.386910,89762.5%25.0%
16.67%123.172211,94950.0%0.0%
41.67%125.180612,25960.0%28.6%
50.00%126.589311,11450.0%50.0%
66.67%123.883613,18860.0%71.4%
45.45%116.984413,03933.3%50.0%
45.45%113.690314,24840.0%50.0%
72.73%111.380313,63680.0%66.7%
70.00%104.51,20215,93266.7%71.4%
40.00%104.175212,003100.0%14.3%
20.00%101.778114,5610.0%28.6%
66.67%96.175913,01666.7%66.7%
55.56%96.371710,83250.0%60.0%
55.56%96.41,04110,39825.0%80.0%
50.00%83.187013,846100.0%20.0%
37.50%81.158211,21866.7%20.0%
37.50%83.78789,66325.0%50.0%
62.50%85.279713,05850.0%66.7%
62.50%82.279213,76933.3%80.0%
50.00%84.31,25611,96766.7%40.0%
37.50%85.388811,18625.0%50.0%
75.00%86.41,14215,408100.0%66.7%
57.14%77.677110,43875.0%33.3%
100.00%76.81,16813,844100.0%100.0%
28.57%74.973111,22066.7%0.0%
50.00%65.61,04112,559100.0%40.0%
16.67%66.27059,47920.0%0.0%
66.67%65.61,17412,19550.0%75.0%
100.00%66.41,26217,623100.0%100.0%
83.33%62.871211,50580.0%100.0%
60.00%55.165610,03666.7%50.0%
40.00%54.91,12317,2230.0%50.0%
20.00%55.880512,744100.0%0.0%
40.00%54.81,29614,00450.0%33.3%
40.00%56.51,03411,79550.0%33.3%

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Naafiri vs Malzahar - Frequently Asked Questions

How does Naafiri do against Malzahar in League of Legends?

Malzahar wins the Naafiri vs Malzahar matchup with a 61.6% win rate compared to Naafiri's 38.4%, a 23.3 percentage point difference. This data is based on 73 recent ranked games in patch 26.14.

How does Naafiri do against Malzahar in the early game?

In the early game, Malzahar has the advantage against Naafiri with a 53.6% win rate versus 46.4%. Malzahar players should look to press their lane advantage through aggressive trades and wave control during the first 15 minutes.

How does Naafiri do against Malzahar in the late game?

In the late game, Malzahar takes over the Naafiri vs Malzahar matchup with a 66.7% win rate compared to 33.3%. Malzahar scales better into team fights and objective contests after 25 minutes.

Who wins the Naafiri vs Malzahar matchup?

Malzahar wins the matchup against Naafiri with a 61.6% win rate in League of Legends patch 26.14. The 23.3 percentage point advantage means Malzahar is significantly favored in this lane matchup based on 73 games analyzed.

What is the best Naafiri build against Malzahar?

The best Naafiri build against Malzahar includes Voltaic Cyclosword, Hubris, Axiom Arc with Chainlaced Crushers. This build achieves a 55.6% win rate in the matchup. Check the matchup breakdown above for the full item path and build order.

What are the best Naafiri runes against Malzahar?

The best Naafiri runes against Malzahar use the Domination primary tree with Precision secondary. This rune setup achieves a 20.0% win rate in the Naafiri vs Malzahar matchup. See the full rune breakdown in the matchup comparison above.

Does Naafiri counter Malzahar?

No, Naafiri struggles against Malzahar with only a 38.4% win rate. Malzahar has the advantage in this matchup. Naafiri players should focus on safe farming and avoiding extended trades to minimize Malzahar's lead.

How do I play Naafiri against Malzahar?

When playing Naafiri against Malzahar, play cautiously and avoid Malzahar's power spikes. Look for jungle assistance and team-dependent plays since Malzahar has the statistical advantage at most stages. Use the matchup-specific build and runes above to optimize your chances.