South Korea’s T1 wins Esports World Cup League of Legends competition in epic all-Asia showdown

A capacity crowd inside the SEF Arena enjoyed another epic spectacle in the Esports World Cup League of Legends competition on Sunday as South Korea’s T1 overcame Top Esports of China in a sensational all-Asia showdown. 

Adored by millions worldwide, League of Legends is the internationally renowned team-based strategy game where two teams of five powerful champions face off with one objective: destroy the opposition’s base. 

After prevailing in their semi-final contests 24 hours earlier, the stage was set for an epic climax in the $1 million tournament with two clubs in blistering form going head-to-head for historic glory in Best-of-5 format. 

Following a series of epic plays and vital kills, T1 – the greatest South Korean esports club of all time – prevailed 3-1 in a titanic battle, securing valuable Esports World Cup Club Championship points with the $400,000 first prize. 

Immediately after their famous victory, T1’s Faker – universally regarded as the greatest League of Legends player in history – spoke of the team’s confidence heading into the contest. ‘The Michael Jordan of Esports’ said: “Teamwork was the key tonight. This was our first event here in Saudi Arabia but we adjusted and performed really well. We have a lot of faith in our skill levels – we were very confident beforehand and our strategy worked really well. It was a long journey –  but we got through it and we’re delighted to win the competition.” 

Having gone 0-1 behind to a Top Esports side which eliminated formidable opposition in Gen.G and G2 Esports en route to the Grand Final, T1 showed their class to level the match at 1-1. The pre-tournament favorites then capitalized on the momentum shift – taking the third to lead 2-1 before a clinical finish in the fourth completed the comeback. 

When asked about the Esports World Cup and what makes the event so special, Faker – a member of T1’s five-star lineup alongside Zeus, Oner, Gumayusi, and Keria – replied: “The Esports World Cup symbolizes the growth of esports worldwide. There are so many athletes from so many countries competing here and this reflects the recent growth of our industry – it’s popular everywhere right now. I hope the Esports World Cup attracts even more athletes, clubs, games, and fans  in the future.”

The Esports World Cup is the pinnacle of professional esports – running from July 3 – August 25 with 22 tournaments across 21 titles throughout its eight-week duration. Week 2 begins on Wednesday (July 10) with three tournaments taking place daily up until next Sunday (July 14).