From world-class arenas to mobile battlegrounds, October 2025 delivered one of the most intense months in esports this year. League of Legends, Mobile Legends: Bang Bang, VALORANT, and Counter-Strike all took center stage with massive tournaments that broke viewership milestones across platforms. Ahead of the pack, the 2025 World Championship led the charge with over 3.2 million peak viewers, while MPL Indonesia and MPL Philippines proved once again that mobile esports are here to stay.
October’s most-popular tournament was the 2025 World Championship (League of Legends) — the pinnacle of the competitive season. The quarterfinal match between T1 and Anyone’s Legend peaked at over 3.2 million viewers, making it the most-popular match of the stage. It also marked a milestone for the Chinese team, which hit its highest viewership numbers ever. Meanwhile, Korean powerhouse T1 will have another shot at breaking its own record in the upcoming World Championship Grand Final.
Taking second place was MPL Indonesia Season 16, the most-popular regional league for Mobile Legends: Bang Bang. The event’s peak viewership came during the showdown between RRQ Hoshi and Natus Vincere, which drew over 2.5 million concurrent viewers. The stakes couldn’t have been higher — the final group-stage match determined the last remaining playoff spot. Despite beating NAVI 2:1, RRQ Hoshi fell short on map difference, allowing NAVI to advance. As a result, RRQ Hoshi — one of the world’s most popular MLBB teams — was knocked out before the playoffs.
MPL Philippines Season 16 claimed third place with a peak viewership of 1.53 million. The grand final between Aurora Gaming PH and Team Liquid PH drew massive attention, as Team Liquid dominated the series with a clean 4:0 sweep. Still, both finalists earned their tickets to the upcoming M7 World Championship.
VALORANT Champions 2025 hit a peak of 1.47 million viewers, the second-highest among world championships and third overall for the game. The record came during the grand final between NRG and Fnatic, which almost ended in a sweep, as NRG dominated the first two maps and nearly closed out the third. But, Fnatic mounted an incredible comeback, thrilling fans and earning huge support from the Paris crowd. Despite the momentum shift, NRG kept their cool under pressure and sealed the victory, bringing the Valorant Champions trophy back to North America for the second time.
ESL Pro League Season 22 ranked fifth, attracting over 630,000 Counter-Strike fans at its peak. The grand final between Team Vitality and Team Falcons wasn’t the most intense showdown — the French powerhouse cruised to victory, claiming their eighth tournament win of 2025.
Read more: ESL Pro League Season 22 became the most popular tournament in the series by average viewership
The ranking of esports tournaments on English-language broadcasts looks much like the global list, with the same top three: the 2025 World Championship, VALORANT Champions, and ESL Pro League Season 22. What’s more surprising is MPL Philippines Season 16 taking fourth place. While MLBB tournaments are hugely popular in Southeast Asia, they’re still a fresh discovery for many Western viewers. The league’s presence in the English-language top shows it’s doing a great job of drawing in fans from outside its home region.
Fifth place in the English-language ranking went to EMEA Masters Summer 2025 — the premier tournament for regional League of Legends leagues. The most-popular match in October was the semifinal between Karmine Corp Blue and Los Ratones, which hit nearly 164,000 peak viewers. Karmine Corp Blue secured a decisive win and advanced to the grand final, where they later took down Los Heretics. That final drew an even bigger audience, but its numbers will be included in November’s stats.
All of October’s top 10 esports channels by peak viewership were on YouTube Gaming — which comes as no surprise. The month’s biggest esports titles, League of Legends and Mobile Legends: Bang Bang, both thrive on that platform. Four channels broadcasted the 2025 World Championship in English, Korean, Vietnamese, and Thai, while another four streamed MPL regional leagues from Indonesia and the Philippines.
The official KRAFTON INDIA ESPORTS channel secured third place thanks to its coverage of BMIC 2025. Meanwhile, the VALORANT Champions Tour channel landed in ninth place, broadcasting the World Championship matches live from Paris.
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