Facing the LPL’s fourth seed, T1 delivered a convincing performance in the Worlds 2025 Play-in Knockouts to begin their campaign on a strong note. The back-to-back World Champions have officially secured their spot in the Swiss Stage.
Although the Korean powerhouse didn’t show their best in the LCK playoffs, T1 once again proved why they shine brightest on the international stage. Against China’s Invictus Gaming, the defending champions delivered when it mattered most. The stakes couldn’t have been higher—it was the opening match of Worlds 2025, and a loss would have meant immediate elimination from the international event.
Invictus Gaming were in the driver’s seat for the first match on the blue side, and their early game macro looked incredible compared to the Korean squad. But after securing the Dragon soul that match, an over-eager play by TheShy turned into a nightmare for IG as they lost the Baron off that teamfight, and T1 were quick to punish the play and win the match without a considerable lead.
With seasoned stars Rookie and TheShy at the helm, Invictus Gaming managed to equalize the series in game two. Still, T1’s resilience shone through as they bounced back to win games three and four, securing their qualification for the Swiss Stage. TheShy’s unconventional top-lane choices, including Rek’Sai and Varus, kept fans on edge, but T1’s discipline and adaptability ensured they never lost their footing.
Oner put on a show in T1’s victory, earning the MVP award with a commanding performance. From stealing major objectives like Atakhan to shutting down the enemy carries, he was the driving force behind T1’s win. With this defeat, Invictus Gaming have been eliminated from Worlds 2025.
T1 now turn their focus to FlyQuest, North America’s top seed, as the squad start their Swiss Stage run.
