The COVID-19 pandemic forced an abrupt shift to emergency online teaching worldwide, exposing systemic strengths and weaknesses in English language teaching (ELT) that continue to shape post-pandemic education. This systematic review synthesizes findings from 66 empirical studies published between January 2020 and March 2022 to identify persistent challenges, gaps, and recommendations for building more resilient ELT systems. Guided by the PRISMA 2020 statement and a thematic analysis approach, the review revealed that qualitative inquiry dominated the research landscape, studies were concentrated in Asia and the Middle East, and the majority involved university level teachers and students. Four thematic areas emerged: online language learning modalities, instructional perceptions, assessment integrity, and professional development. The findings highlight enduring issues such as the digital divide, insufficient teacher digital literacy, assessment insecurity, and learner disengagement that remain central to ELT policy and practice in the post pandemic era. The review concludes by offering a crisis preparedness agenda for teacher education, institutional policy, and future research, emphasizing that the question is no longer if another disruption will occur, but when.