T1 has secured its dream of the three-peat by winning today’s League of Legends World Championship 2025 Grand Final versus LCK rival KT Rolster 3-2.
With this back-to-back-to-back championship trophy, T1 also maintains the upper hand in the Telecom War, a 13-year-old rivalry between the two finalists.
T1 and KT Rolster (KT) represent major South Korean telecommunications companies, SK Telecom and KT Corporation. For more than a decade and across multiple esports titles, the two organisations have competed for regional glory.
But whilst one of them has established an international legacy within League of Legends (LoL) esports, the other one has been repeatedly left in the shadows. Out of 70 total LoL battles fought in the Telecom War, a whopping 53 ended in T1’s favour.
Looking back at an up-and-down season and entering Worlds 2025 as the LCK’s two lowest seeds, neither team was necessarily favoured to lift the Summoner’s Cup this year. And yet, the two LoL veterans went on their own miracle runs to take the Telecom War to a new peak in today’s Grand Final.
Two Different Paths to LoL’s Biggest Stage
KT began its Worlds journey with an undefeated Group Stage performance. In the Knockout Stage, the team then toppled giants CTBC Flying Oyster (3-0) and Gen.G Esports (3-1) to earn a shot at Championship glory.
However, to lift its very first Worlds trophy, KT had to defeat its long-standing rival T1, led by the inaugural Hall of Legends inductee and five-time world champion Faker.
Despite its previous accomplishments, T1 had a challenging Group Stage run at Worlds 2025. With a 3-2 total match score, the LCK team barely made it into the quarterfinals.
But following its victories over Anyone’s Legend (3-2) and Top Esports (3-0), T1 and Faker were only one series away from their sixth Worlds title. A victory in today’s Grand Final would also make T1 the first team in history to win three consecutive LoL Championships.
T1 Makes LoL History With Sixth Worlds Trophy
The Worlds showdown in Chengdu, China, kicked off with a strong early game for KT. However, T1 won two pivotal mid-game teamfights to turn the tide and secure game one.
Game two saw a lot of back-and-forth skirmishes. Despite T1’s best scaling efforts, KT’s bdd had a massive performance on Mel to help his team even out the match score.
In the third game, T1 suffered heavily at the hands of Cuzz’s Mundo. Lacking the damage to burst through KT’s tank, T1 could only watch as dragons, barons and eventually its own nexus fell to the enemy.
At match point, KT had to go up against a Kalista first-pick and Faker’s Anivia. Moreover, thanks to critical Smites from Oner, T1 claimed every single neutral objective and took the series to game five.
For the final game, T1 drafted a deadly Galio/Camille ult-combo. While a couple of oversteps from the LCK giant nearly allowed KT to make a comeback, T1 ultimately emerged victorious from the last crucial teamfights.
As a result, T1 remains nearly undefeated in the Telecom War as the organisation lifts its sixth World Championship trophy.
“This year was very difficult for me. Every year was full of challenges, and I always had to prove myself,” shared Gumayushi in the post-match interview.
“You know, I have been the icon of being someone who always has to prove himself, but this year was different because finally, I feel like I have proven myself to myself. And I’m really happy that I was able to prove who I am to myself. And I can say for sure that I am the best AD Carry in the world.”