Faker and T1 Miss First International Tournament in Four Years

Earlier today, T1 lost to Hanwha Life Esports in the first round of the LCK Cup 2025 Playoffs, eliminating them from the tournament. As the defending League of Legends World Champions, this loss means T1 will miss the first international event of 2025.

First Stand 2025 will be the first time that an international tournament that does not feature Faker or T1 since 2021.

T1’s Strong Start to the LCK Cup 2025

Despite coming out as a loser in the off-season trade, T1 started the LCK Cup 2025 strong, finishing with a 4-1 record in the Group Stage. Their only loss came against a red-hot Dplus KIA. However, despite their solid performance, they finished behind Group Elder, forcing them to compete in the Play-ins.

T1 swiftly defeated Nongshim RedForce in the Play-ins, setting up a highly anticipated clash against Hanwha Life Esports in the first round of the LCK Cup 2025 Playoffs.

The God of Thunder Strikes

T1's year in 2025 started with losing Zeus, their top-lane God of Thunder. What made matters worse were the controversial circumstances under which Zeus left to join Hanwha Life Esports, leaving T1 management and fans with a bitter aftertaste.

Given the recent history between the two teams, T1 vs. Hanwha Life Esports arguably became a bigger spectacle than the upcoming LCK Cup 2025 Finals itself. The hype was reflected in the viewership too, with 1.9 million fans tuning in to witness Zeus face his former teammates.

The match lived up to expectations, delivering a thrilling five-game series. In the decisive game, Zeus dominated T1, sealing a 3-2 victory for Hanwha Life Esports and earning the title of MVP of the series.

The Aftermath

With this loss, T1 and Faker will miss their first international tournament since MSI 2021. This also means that First Stand 2025, the first major international event with a brand new format, will not feature it's most iconic figure.

For the longest time, T1 was the biggest contributor to viewership numbers in LoL esports. With their prolific star missing, the upcoming tournament will be a significant test for the future of LoL esports, especially in a post-Faker era. It will also be an opportunity for emerging superstars to rise as the next face of competitive League of Legends.

Now, Hanwha Life Esports moves forward and will face either Dplus KIA or Gen.G Esports this weekend. Stay tuned on Strafe for latest updates from LCK Cup 2025. Follow LCK on X for the latest news.

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Featured Image Credits: LCK

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