The League of Legends World Championship 2025 opened in China with an explosive start. The Play-In showdown between reigning champions T1 and the long-awaited return of Invictus Gaming not only reignited one of LoL’s greatest rivalries but also set a new record for the most-watched opening day in Worlds history.
Championship 2025China
T1
KT Rolster
Top EsportsRecord-Breaking Start for Worlds 2025
According to Esports Charts, the T1 vs Invictus Gaming series reached a peak of 2.5 million viewers across all platforms — the highest ever for a Worlds Play-In stage and an increase of 75% over 2024’s record.
YouTube led the way with 1.25 million concurrent viewers, while Twitch drew 692,000. Korean streaming platforms CHZZK and SOOP brought in over 840,000 fans combined. Vietnamese and English-language broadcasts also performed strongly, attracting over 500,000 and 480,000 viewers, respectively.
This surge highlights the global pull of LoL esports — particularly the cross-regional nostalgia between Korea and China that continues to captivate fans worldwide.
T1 Triumphs 3:1 Over Invictus Gaming
The series itself lived up to the hype. After dropping the second map, Lee “Faker” Sang-hyeok and his T1 teammates regained control to secure a confident 3:1 victory, claiming the final spot in the group stage.
Lee “Gumayusi” Min-hyeong stood out as the MVP of the match, boasting an average KDA of 11.5 and dealing an average of 28,000 damage to champions per game. His consistent performance under pressure once again showcased T1’s depth and adaptability.
T1 Key Statistics
Gumayusi: 6.7 / 2.4 / 7.7 (66.5% KP)
Faker: 5.7 / 2.4 / 8.1 (65% KP)
Oner: 5.4 / 3.0 / 11.1 (76.3% KP)
Doran: 2.4 / 3.4 / 11.1 (63.8% KP)
Keria: 1.0 / 3.4 / 14.8 (73.5% KP)
Invictus Gaming, led by Rookie, fought valiantly but ultimately fell short. Rookie posted an impressive 4.4 / 2.7 / 7.4 with an 80.3% kill participation — yet it wasn’t enough to slow down T1’s relentless tempo. IG finishes 17th overall, taking home $75,000.
Swiss Stage Draw Revealed
As T1 advances, all eyes turn to the Swiss Stage, which begins on October 15. Teams will clash in a best-of-one format for the first round — setting the stage for a series of unpredictable matchups.
Round 1 Matchups
- Gen.G Esports vs PSG Talon
- FlyQuest vs T1
- G2 Esports vs Top Esports
- CTBC Flying Oyster vs Fnatic
- Bilibili Gaming vs 100 Thieves
- Hanwha Life Esports vs Anyone’s Legend
- Vivo Keyd Stars vs Team Secret
- KT Rolster vs Movistar KOI
The World Championship 2025 runs from October 14 to November 9 in China, featuring the best League of Legends teams from every major region and a total prize pool of $5 million USD.
Looking Ahead
With a record-breaking start, Worlds 2025 is already shaping up to be one of the most electrifying tournaments in LoL history. The intensity of the Play-In has reignited global excitement — and with T1 looking sharper than ever, fans are in for a thrilling month of top-tier competition.
Stay tuned as the Swiss Stage unfolds and the race for the Summoner’s Cup heats up.