T1 will face Anyone's Legend in the first round of 2025 World Championship Knockout Stage

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The full lineup for the 2025 World Championship Knockout Stage is now set — only 8 of the original 17 teams are still in the running. League of Legends fans are eagerly waiting to see who will take home the championship title this year and whether the tournament will once again shatter esports viewership records.

2025 World Championship Report Page

Nearly all of the tournament favorites made it through the Swiss Stage — except for BiliBili Gaming, which unexpectedly fell to Top Esports Gaming in the fifth round. This means the Knockout Stage will move forward without the reigning LPL champion and one of China’s top teams, a result that undoubtedly left local fans disappointed.

The Knockout Stage matchups were revealed after the final Swiss Stage series between T1 and MKOI. Round one already promises some thrilling games. Notably, three LCK teams — Gen.G, Hanwha Life Esports, and KT Rolster — landed in the same section of the bracket, all vying for a spot in the final, with CTBC Flying Oyster unlikely to stop them. On the other side, T1 is the clear favorite, matched up against LPL teams and G2 Esports. Judging by the bracket, both tournament organizers and fans are predicting a Korean derby in the final — potentially another epic showdown between T1 and Gen.G, a matchup that has long been legendary in professional League of Legends.

2025 World Championship Knockout Stage Matches

Interestingly, a T1 vs. Gen.G grand final is seen as key to an “optimistic scenario” for breaking the series’ viewership record. Another highly anticipated finalist was BiliBili Gaming, which would have likely drawn huge support from fans at home. Unfortunately for their supporters, that matchup is no longer possible.

The Knockout Stage of the 2025 World Championship kicks off on October 28 and runs through November 9. All matches will be played in a best-of-five format using the Fearless Draft system. You can track the full schedule, match results, and live viewership stats on Esports Charts’ dedicated event page.