T1 has lost its former dominance! The LPL internal battle has become a do-or-die match, with only two spots available in the quarterfinals!

The 2025 League of Legends World Championship is now at the fifth round of the Swiss stage, the concluding phase of the group stage. Currently, five teams—KT, AL, G2, GEN, and HLE—have qualified for the quarterfinals, with the remaining three places to be contested on the last day of group play. At present, AL is the only LPL team to advance; iG failed to eliminate T1 and fell short at 17th place. The other two LPL teams, top seed BLG and third seed TES, are struggling. BLG has been underperforming, losing to teams from Europe and North America and showing poor form against South American teams. TES performs well against Western teams but cannot win a single match against LCK teams, even in best-of-three series. This year, TES has suffered a five-match losing streak against HLE since the Play-In stage, and losses against KT and GEN have extended their losing streak against LCK teams to nine matches, all of which were decisive defeats!

However, the draw has pit BLG and TES against each other, leaving no chance for either to fight their way through separately. While they might have had a chance to break out by facing other regions despite their poor form, failing to advance means both teams will be eliminated in the round of 16. Although it’s an intra-regional match, at least one team is guaranteed to reach the quarterfinals, which is somewhat acceptable luck. Currently, both teams are underperforming: one struggles even against Western teams without facing any LCK opponents, while the other suffers from a “fear of Korea,” unable to win against any LCK teams. If they face off, TES might have a better chance, especially if they can replicate their LPL form, as TES previously took a 2-1 lead in BO5 series against BLG. Many fans feel torn, unsure which team to support since both are so closely matched—it’s a tough decision!

Recently, foreign media compiled statistics on average kills per game during the S15 Swiss stage group matches. GEN, T1, HLE, and KT occupy the top four spots, while AL, as the last hope for the LPL, ranks fifth. From the performances so far, it’s clear that the LCK remains very strong, especially GEN, who show overwhelming dominance. With the current meta changes, the playstyle has shifted from the traditional style to more frequent team fights in the early and mid-game, greatly enhancing the viewing experience for fans!

For T1, however, the switch from Zeus to Doran this year has significantly weakened the team. Their group stage performance has been disappointing, and they have lost their former dominance. Doran on the top lane often gets lost at critical moments, as if his highlights in the World Championship are mostly negative plays—very consistent in a bad way! Oner constantly fights for jungle control but can’t win the smite battles. Keria’s performance in the World Championship has been underwhelming, and Gumayusi has been average without making mistakes. Faker, now older, clearly struggles in lane but can still step up during team fights. However, relying on an aging player to save the team in every fight is not enough. Even if T1 makes it to the quarterfinals, their prospects look bleak. Meanwhile, the LPL holds two quarterfinal spots, setting the stage for another all-or-nothing battle!