The day that millions of fans around the world have been eagerly awaiting. A year of struggle, thousands of games, hundreds of dreams – everything boiled down to this moment. The Korean derby at Dong’an Lake Sports Park – the place where the 2025 season will end, and the winners’ nicknames will be inscribed in history in golden letters. This is not just a final, this is – an eternal derby that has survived patch changes, metas, rosters, and years.
The current five-time champions T1, going for their third title in a row, will meet their eternal rivals – KT Rolster, experienced fighters of the LCK scene, hungry for big wins.
The world holds its breath, the arena freezes in anticipation. This – Grand Final Worlds 2025.
Path to the Tournament: Different Roads – One Goal
Both teams have gone through a difficult, but similar in scenario season.
KT Rolster finished the regular LCK season in 3rd place, which allowed them to directly enter the group stage of Worlds. T1 stopped at 4th position, so they started the World Championship from the Play-In stage, where they met Invictus Gaming.
According to the LCK Cup results, the teams shared 5–6 place.
The only significant difference in results was MSI, where T1 reached the final, but in a tense struggle lost to Gen.G with a score of (3–2). Meanwhile, KT Rolster did not make it to the main mid-season tournament, as they were knocked out by T1 (3–1) during qualification.
Path to Worlds 2025: Dreams of Championship
KT Rolster are currently undefeated. They demonstrate disciplined macro play and clear synergy, upsetting opponents with the confidence of a team claiming a place in history.
The cherry on top was the semifinal series against Gen.G – the main favorites of the season.
The team that everyone saw as the future champion was stopped in four maps.
Chovy was completely overshadowed by Bdd, who had a dominant series, and deokdam’s brilliant play did not allow Ruler to open up.
If KT Rolster win the final with a score of 3–0, they will repeat the legendary run of SK Telecom T1 (2015), when they lost only one map throughout the tournament.
T1 – this is a story of stability under pressure. After a difficult group stage, the team gradually gained form and is now in “championship mode”. Faker seems not to age – he has not allowed any Chinese roster to upset him in Worlds playoffs. This is a team against which there is no right to make a mistake: one miscalculation – and the game is over. They are created to win.
In the quarterfinals, losing to Anyone’s Legend 1–2, T1 in a dominant style brought the series to the fifth map, where they took all key objects on the map: Atahan, Dragon Soul, Baron Nashor, and Elder Dragon. Against such a combination, it is impossible to fight even with a gold advantage.
The semifinal for T1 went without problems – the Gumayusi and Keria duo stopped the main star of Top Esports – JackeyLove, and Faker had his best series at this tournament. Only the final remains ahead.
Champion Pool Worlds 2025
It is worth noting that T1 has played 19 maps at the tournament so far, while KT Rolster – only 11.
| KT Rolster | |
|---|---|
| PerfecT | Ornn, Rumble, Renekton, Sion, Rek’Sai, K’Sante |
| Cuzz | Trundle, Xin Zhao, Wukong, Jarvan IV, Viego, Qiyana, Poppy, Dr. Mundo |
| Bdd | Orianna, Cassiopeia, Aurora, Taliyah, Zoe, Yone, Ryze, Azir |
| deokdam | Caitlyn, Ezreal, Corki, Sivir, Ziggs, Varus, Ashe, Kalista |
| Peter | Neeko, Braum, Alistar, Nautilus, Lulu, Renata |
| T1 | |
|---|---|
| Doran | Ambessa, Ornn, Galio, K’Sante, Rek’Sai, Renekton, Sion, Rumble, Mordekaiser, Camille |
| Oner | Trundle, Nocturne, Xin Zhao, Jarvan IV, Wukong, Qiyana, Pantheon, Dr. Mundo |
| Faker | Taliyah, LeBlanc, Annie, Akali, Cassiopeia, Aurora, Orianna, Ryze, Azir, Anivia, Sylas, Viktor, Mel, Galio |
| Gumayusi | Sivir, Ashe, Yunara, Miss Fortune, Xayah, Caitlyn, Kai’Sa, Corki, Varus, Draven, Ziggs |
| Keria | Alistar, Lulu, Renata, Rakan, Bard, Neeko, Leona, Nautilus, Blitzcrank, Seraphine |
As we can see, Faker – a player who can choose any champion, depending on the team’s needs. Bdd, on the other hand, likes to dominate the lane and play aggressively, gaining an advantage in 1v1 play.
In my opinion, the MVP of the series will be Keria – the success of T1 in the fight for key map objectives will depend on his ability to initiate teamfights.
Championship 2025China
T1
KT Rolster
Top EsportsHead-to-Head Meetings
During the 2025 season, the teams met 7 times: 6 wins for T1 and only 1 – the last one, in the LCK regular season – for KT Rolster.
Final Prediction
T1 approach the final as favorites. Their confident tempo buildup, vast experience, and ability to find a way out even from seemingly lost games – leave no doubts about their ability to secure the third title in a row.
The key to success for KT Rolster could be individual mastery: if they can gain an early advantage on lanes and act as cohesively as possible in the late game, they have a chance to dethrone the current champions.
Bet: T1 Map Handicap (-1.5) (odds 2.32)