By Sagar Mankar 
Korean powerhouse T1 has claimed victory at the League of Legends World Championship, defeating Bilibili Gaming in a thrilling 3-2 grand final at the O2 Arena in London, England.
This marks T1’s fifth World Championship title, solidifying their status as the most successful team in League of Legends history. The star of the show, the first LOL Hall of Legends, 28-year-old Lee “Faker” Sang-hyeok, further established himself as the greatest player in the game’s history.
Maintaining the same roster with Choi “Zeus” Woo-je, Mun “Oner” Hyeon-jun, Lee “Gumayusi” Min-hyeong, and Ryu “Keria” Min-seok, T1 qualified for the Worlds final in 2022, secured second place, and then went on to win consecutive championships in 2023 and 2024.
Throughout the tournament, T1 showed dominance, finishing third in the Swiss stage. They first met Bilibili Gaming in a best-of-one match during this stage and came out on top. T1 also secured a victory over G2 Esports, which propelled them to the quarter-finals. In the knockout stages, T1 swept Top Esports 3-0 and later defeated their rivals, Gen.G Esports, 3-1 in the semi-finals, earning a spot in their seventh World Championship final.
Bilibili Gaming, on the other hand, faced a more challenging path. They finished sixth in the Swiss stage, managing to eliminate European favorite G2 Esports to reach the playoffs. Although they lost to T1 during the Swiss stage, Bilibili Gaming found their stride in the knockout rounds. They dominated Hanwha Life Esports 3-1 in the quarter-finals and overcame Weibo Gaming in the semi-finals to set up a rematch with T1 in the grand final.
The grand final was a closely contested battle. Bilibili Gaming took an early lead by winning the first game, but T1 quickly responded, leveling the score in game two. Bilibili then captured game three, putting themselves on the brink of their first-ever World Championship title. However, T1 demonstrated their resilience by securing a victory in game four, despite an early deficit, setting the stage for a decisive fifth game. In the final match, T1 proved to be too strong, ultimately taking the win.
This marks Faker’s second MVP award in a final after the 2016 LOL Worlds. “I actually can’t recall winning it back in 2016; it feels like a distant memory,” Faker remarked during the Worlds 2024 broadcast after being honored.
“Today, my focus wasn’t on winning the finals MVP. The most important thing for me is securing the final victory, and that brings me immense joy. When I compare myself now to my 2016 self, I don’t notice a significant difference, as I am still blessed with amazing teammates. Achieving this remarkable feat was a collective effort, just as it was back then.”
For their victory, T1 takes home $445,000 in prize money along with the coveted title of World Champions. Bilibili Gaming walks away with $356,000 for their impressive performance, while Weibo Gaming and Gen.G Esports, who finished in third and fourth place respectively, each receive $178,000.
The Grand Final set a new viewership record, concluding as the most-watched match in esports history as per Esports Charts. The final game reached a peak of 6.94 million viewers, making it only the second esports event to surpass the 6 million hours watched milestone.
With the competitive season now concluded, the League of Legends community eagerly awaits the release of a new champion, Ambessa. Known for her appearance in the first season of Arcane, a Netflix series based on League of Legends, Ambessa is set to make her debut in the game in the coming days. Fans are also excited for the return of Arcane with its second season premiering soon.
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